Return to the Labyrinth
by Alexandria Keating
Summary: Over nine years have past since Sarah bested the Labyrinth, but she has forgotten everything. One night, similar to the one she can't remember, she is thrust back into a familiar world that is being decimated by a demon who is more than he appears to be. Sarah must overcome her forgotten memories to convince the disgruntled King of the Goblins that he needs her help.
1. Prologue

**Hello, readers! If you're new to this story, you don't need to worry about this. I've just edited this chapter and will be doing that with the next two as well. If you're new, please leave a review with what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Labyrinth'**

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**Prologue**

Rain pelted the young woman's face has she bolted across the lawn. Lightning flashed across the sky and briefly tossed and twirled the world into a fury of white light. Thunder clashed overheard, drowning out any other possible sound. She clambered up the steps to the porch and paused to catch her breathe. She shrugged off her wet jacket and tossed it on the chair that sat—lonely—on the porch, knowing that her stepmother would give her no end of torment if she brought in wet clothes on top of being late. Thinking back, Sarah found it hard to remember a time that she wasn't late to watch her brother. Several years ago, it was because she was easily swept into the childish world of her imagination and lost all sense of time. Now, it was because her job and school kept her late almost every day, whether or not she had to watch her brother.

The brunette opened the front door and stepped into the house, closing the door on the fury of the storm. Running a hand through her sopping wet hair, she looked about her awaiting the welcome bark before she remembered that Merlin had passed on a few years ago. The young woman sighed. The house always had a cold feel to it since her stepmother had moved in, but without Merlin, one of the last remaining flames of warmth had been squelched.

"Toby!" the green-eyed woman yelled. "Toby, where are you?"

She looked up to see Toby bolt out from the living room. He ran down the large hall only to complete the journey by sliding in his socks with his arms outstretched. His fun-filled journey ended all too shortly with a collision into his sister. Toby's arms snaked around her waist and held onto her with a viper's death trap.

"Sarah!"

"It's nice to see you, too, Toby," Sarah said, returning the squeeze. "Have they left?"

"Yes." Toby mercifully ended his grip on his sister and backed away. He looked down at himself and then back at his sister. "You are soaking wet."

"Of course, Toby," she said, running a hand through his hair. "Didn't you hear the storm outside?"

"Yes, but didn't you wear a coat?"

The sister sighed playfully and rolled her eyes saying, "Of course I did, but the storm decide to rain inside my jacket."

Toby laughed and said in amazement, "You told a joke!"

"I still have some fun in me," she responded, slightly offended.

"Not as much as you use to," Toby said with a pouty lip.

Sarah took a deep breath and knelt down in front of Toby so that she had to look up him, instead of the other way. "Toby, you know I can't joke around and play all the time. I am your older sister. I've had to grow up and learn to be an adult, and that means getting rid of childishness. You will do the same someday; you can't be ten forever."

Toby stiffened his lip and glared at her. "I might not be able to stay ten, but that doesn't mean that I have to be a stick-in-the-mud with no dreams of getting out like you!" He turned on his heel and sprinted down the hall. He grasped the railing and swung himself up onto the stairs and continued his mad dash up.

Sarah stood frozen. The words of her brother were harsher than the storm that raged outside. She pushed herself up and took a step. Her foot slid in front of her and she landed on her butt with her leg stretched out to the front. "Ow," she said, cursing silently to herself as she cautiously stood up again. "I need to dry the floor after I talk to Toby," she whispered to herself.

Edging forward with cautious steps, the young woman reached the stairs and made her ascent. She made her way to Toby's shut door and gave it a gentle tap. "Toby?"

"Leave me alone. I don't want to talk!"

"Fine, I'll either be in the guest bedroom or downstairs when you're ready to talk." She turned and began to make her way to the guest bedroom across the hall when Toby yelled, "I see how much you wanted to talk! You nearly broke down the door!"

Sarah clenched her fists and walked into the guest bedroom. She let out a huff and mumbled under her breath, "He's such a child. He needs to learn to grow up and stop playing with toys and living in his own little world."

In the back of her mind, a voice from a distant dream laughed and said, "You were once the same, and you could have stayed that way, but you refused me. Foolish girl!"

Sarah shook her head and looked around the room. The walls had been stripped of their old wallpaper and pictures and had been given a new make-over, dressed up in a fine shade of tan with a dark green edging. The old bed was long gone, replaced by a dark wood framed bed with a red and green comforter. The animals, toys and other childhood things had long ago left this room, once their home. Sarah had either given them away herself over the years or they had been tossed out by her stepmother when she entered college. Only one thing had stayed in this room. Only one thing had stayed through the years. Only one thing had stayed through the changes.

The straight haired woman slowly walked over to the dresser, as if afraid of this thing from her past. As she approached the dresser, she clearly saw the music box. The small, delicate figure of a young girl enclosed in a white ball gown from a fairytale. A canopy covered and sheltered her from the world outside her dreams. Sarah carefully picked the music box and turned it over. She twirled the key as far as she could before placing it back on the dresser.

As she placed it on the dresser, its music began to play. It filled the air and embraced her. The emerald eyed woman closed her eyes and let the music entwine around her. She allowed it to enter her mind and resurface memories of her childhood when she was like Toby, maybe more of a child than him at an older age. She was glad that she had been able to grow out of the childishness. Toby would too one day, and then he would see that it is for the best. Childish play and dreams are fun for a time, but it doesn't last forever and the longer it lasts, the more you are held back from your potential, Sarah thought.

Sarah became aware of a change in the music. At first she hadn't been able to hear it, but as she listened closely, it grew and expanded: it engulfed her. It began to pull at and resurface memories that she didn't even know she had. A short, stumpy, and browned creature with large ears and nose, white hair sticking out from underneath a red, leather cap, small, blue eyes and dressed in shabby clothing that looked quite gruesome at first, but as she remembered, Sarah could see the kindness in his eyes. Next, the image of a smartly clad fox proudly astride a dog that reminded her of Merlin, yet that wasn't its name. Yet another picture came, a large, hairy creature several feet taller than her with matted brownish-red hair, long, floppy ears, small, sad eyes and a mouth that reminded her of a pug. He had a tooth protruding from his bottom jaw on either side of his mouth and a set of two feet long horns. His hands and feet were quite large. Then images came of a vast dance among masked strangers in a delicate bubbled dream and the feeling of a desperate search. Finally, there was an image of a man. From memory, he stood tall and arrogantly. His long, ragged, pale blonde hair fell down his shoulders and framed his face perfectly, and he had intense eyes with a sadness and yearning well hidden. He was smartly dressed in gray trousers, riding boots and a loose poet's shirt covered by a tight, black vest. In his black gloved hands he clasped a riding crop. Around his neck, a crescent shaped medallion was fastened.

The music seemed to grow in crescendo to a point so loud that she was sure her eardrums would burst. Sarah felt the music within every inch of her body. Searing pain split into her mind as a second image of the man came. He sat slumped in a once great throne: his frame dragged down by weariness and brokenness. As if sensing her presence, he glanced up. That which his eyes once hid now lay in the open: pain, sadness, hurt, complete defeat. The man seemed to look directly at her as a sad smile crept across his face. "Why?" he rasped. "Why did you do it? Foolish girl! You could have had it all, and you gave it away for him." His laugh shook his weak body. "Foolish girl!" he yelled, his eyes turned hard. As the image began to fade, his eyes softened and he said, "Foolish me."

Sarah took a step back as her eyes suddenly no longer saw the man, but the guest bedroom in her dad and stepmother's house. She stared at the music box and the small figurine twirling to the music. The music, itself, had gone back to its simple melody and had begun to slow. She listened as the delicate girl, in her delicate dream, stopped her dancing and the music came to an end. Sarah put a hand to her head and pushed, and then shook her head in attempt to dislodge the haze that had come over her mind. "I wish I could understand this," she said has she turned her back to the girl in her delicate dream.

She walked out into the hall and down to the bathroom. Turning the faucet on as cold as possible, the young woman cupped her hands underneath the flowing water. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she tossed the water on her face. Gasping from the sudden coldness, Sarah blindly grasped for a hand towel. When she found it, she brought it to her face, wiped the water away and then placed it back.

Taking a moment, she stared at her reflection. Her green eyes set in the smooth and gentle complexion, the light rosy cheeks that thankfully allowed her not to have to worry about blush. Her damp hair lay in a tangled, stringy mess. Sarah sighed and grabbed a hair tie, pulling her hair up into a ponytail.

Sarah reached out for a towel that lay on the rack and left the bedroom. She made her way down the hall and descended the stairs. She knelt down at the puddle of water on the wood floor and set the towel over it. Moving her arm in a monotonous circulatory motion, she began to soak the water up from the floor with the towel. Suddenly, Toby's panicked voice yelled, "Sarah!"

Sarah snapped her head up and yelled, "I'm coming," as she jumped to her feet. In her haste to reach her brother, Sarah's feet landed on the wet towel, and as she went to run down the hall, the towel dragged her down to the small table that stood against the wall. A sharp, acute pain entered her mind as she was thrown into sudden darkness.


	2. The Return

**Hello, readers! If you're new, you don't have to worry about this. I'm just coming through and editing these first few chapters. **

**Let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Labyrinth'**

* * *

**The Return**

Sarah opened her eyes. Her mind was in a daze and a dull pain permeated her head. Sarah sat up and put her head in her hands and leaned over between her legs, fighting the urge to be sick. After her stomach and head had calmed down, she sat up straight and crawled onto her hands and knees. Legs shaking, the young woman stood up. Placing a hand on the wall, she inched her way down the hall to the stairs. She made her way up the stairs taking it one step at a time.

"Toby?" she called when she reached the top. "Toby, what happened?

Her calls are answered with a mocking silence. She made her way through the hall looking into each room as she went: his bedroom, the guest room, the bathroom, and even the closet. The last room was her dad's and stepmother's room. Sarah opened the door and peeped in. Toby wasn't there. She sighed. "Where is he?" she asked herself.

Looking around the bedroom, Sarah couldn't see much change. The white, four-poster, queen-sized bed still had the same white sheets and thin comforter and white, lace-frilled canopy. The walls the same color: a dull tan-green. A nightstand sat on either side of the bed with a blue lamp on each and a white chest at the foot of the bed. A tall, light tan wardrobe stood across from the bed with a white lamp, and next to it sat a plush, dank green chair. In the back left corner, was a little inlet that still served as her stepmother's private area. The double-doors still had white curtains covered by heavy green ones that led to a small balcony. The only things missing was Toby's old baby crib, changing station and rocking horse but those were long gone; they had left the house before she had even gone to college.

A wave of nausea washed over Sarah. She swayed and collapsed onto the bed. She lay there for a moment. Slowly, the nausea and unease ebbed away. The brunette gently pulled herself up and rested her head against the bedpost and stared at her reflection in the mirror on the wall. She turned her eyes to the space where Toby's crib used to be. A flash of a long past memory resurfaced.

She had sat in this spot when she had started to tell Toby a story on a night like this over nine years ago. When she had finished her story she had left only to return and find her brother missing. Panic had risen in her as unseen creatures she was sure were there continued elude her sight. Suddenly, the doors had blown open and a barn owl and swooped into the room and circle about her before returning to the doors where she lifted her eyes to see…

Sarah gasped. That was him. The man she had seen only moments before had been the man who had taken Toby from her. Why had he taken Toby?

_I had asked him_, Sarah remembered. _I was tired of his crying and I wished for him to be taken away, but when I asked for him back, I was refused. The King of the Goblins that's who he was, but what was his name?_

Her rampage of thoughts on her newly found memories was suddenly interrupted by a sudden gust of wind that rattled the double-doors. Sarah clutched the bedpost as the doors flung open, ripped apart by the wind. She shut her eyes and waited for the rain to blow in but was surprise when nothing of the sort happened. The only thing she felt was the gentle caresses of a breeze that wafted into the room. She opened her eyes and looked out the doors not to see a raging storm, but a red desert with scattered trees and low bushes. The sky outside the window was no longer dark and cloudy but blood red with either the rising or setting sun.

The young woman stood and cautiously placed each foot in front of the other as she approached the open doors. She leaned against the door frame and looked out onto the vast landscape. In the distance, she could see a massive labyrinth that spread out and covered a hill out in the distance, and on the horizon, at the top of the hill, sat a castle with tall, rounded towers. Sarah turned around to glance back at the room but was shocked to find that the room had vanished, replaced by more of the desert landscape. She turned eyes back to the labyrinth and decide that it was the best direction. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Let's start walking feet."

As she began walking, she stopped and mumbled to herself, "Look at what this place is doing to me: it's making me talk to my feet." Sarah shook her head and continued her journey.

The dirt was loose beneath her feet and she lost her footing several times on her way to the labyrinth. As she closed in on the labyrinth its size seemed to double, triple and quadruple before her eyes. As well as the size increase as she drew closer, the illusion of the togetherness of the labyrinth seemed to vanish. The shorter the distance between her and the labyrinth became the more Sarah became aware of the sorry state of the labyrinth. The outer walls were crumbled. Large pieces of wall lay scattered on the ground; vines with small white flowers entwined themselves around the fragile rock, breaking it even more. In several places a wall no longer existed.

As she reached the labyrinth, she noticed a square pool filled with filth; it looked like it was once someone's toilet. She turned from the sight with a grimace on her face to the labyrinth walls. As she approached the walls, the vines and white flowers brought back another unwanted memory: a small fairy, shot down by the short, stocky and browned creature, had bit her. Then she remembered. There had been a door…

Sarah made a sharp turn to her left and ran, following the outer wall of the labyrinth carefully scouring the wall. Several yards down she found what she had been searching for: a large, wooden double door perhaps seven feet high. She smiled. She was finally making some progress. The door was cool to the touch as she placed her hands on it. With all her strength, she pushed. It barely moved. Sarah threw her hands up in the air, turned her face up and shouted skyward, "Open, will you!"

Her face was drawn downwards again as her ears picked up the slightest creaking. She watched in amazement as the doors opened on their own accord. The green eyed woman took a nervous step back and glanced from side to side before stepping forward and walking into the labyrinth. She jumped as the doors shut. Twirling around, she watched as her way out was lost to her.

_Now to decide which way to go_.

"Last time," she said out loud as she scanned her memory, "that creature asked me which way to go. I wasn't sure then either. But, I remember which way I went."

Sarah turned to face the wall in front of her and placed the door at her back, then closed her eyes to remember. "I went right."

She turned and positioned her feet in the direction and began walking.

The passage that lay out before her seemed never ending. The gray, brick wall lay crumbled in several pieces. The walkway was littered with broken limbs as well as crumbled wall. Sarah took a step closer to the wall and saw that the green moss the clung to it had eyes. She jumped back with a shriek.

"This isn't possible," she said. "This defies everything. A place like this could never exist. I must be having a dizzy spell. Yes, that's it. I'm not over that dizzy spell that I had in their room. This is all in my head. Or maybe I'm still lying on the floor with a nasty lump on my head. Yes, that has to be it. A place like this has to be a dream, but what a crazy dream it is," she reasoned as she backed away from the eye moss and walked away watching it watch her out of the corner of her eye.

Unease began to grow stronger in the young woman's heart as she continued walking. There were no turns. She had seen turns from the distance, but now inside the labyrinth, there were none. Tired of this confusion, she leaned against the wall and sat down. She ran a hand over her face and sighed.

"'Allo!"

Sarah jumped and frantically looked around. Seeing no one, she called out, "Who's there?"

"Why it's me!"

"Who's me?" She still saw no sign of a living soul.

"Down 'ere!"

Sarah looked down to her right and on a ledge strutting out from the wall, sat a blue worm with a scarf around his neck and blue tuffs of hair.

"You're a worm!" Sarah stumbled, incredulously.

"Yes, I'am. Come inside, meet the missus."

"But, you talk!"

"O' course I do! Now, come on inside and meet the missus an' 'ave a nice warm cup o' tea."

"That sounds lovely, but I don't think I can fit into your home. Anyway, I need to find a way out of here," she said unsure of what to make of this situation. _Since when do worms drink tea?_ she wondered.

"Aye, that be easier than it used to be."

"Why you say that?" Sarah's curiosity was piqued.

"Well, since the king was defeated by a youngin', a girl a wee younger than yuh, 'e 'as fallen into dismay, 'e 'as. Labyrinth 'ere is slowly crumblin' away. An' there's nothin' me nor the missus can do to 'elp. There's nothin' no one can do to 'elp."

"Well, I'm sorry for that. I hate to sound rude, but I really must get out of here. Do you know the way?"

"Ah, me? Nah, I'm just a worm. But there is a turn right dere in front of yuh."

Sarah stood up and looked at the flat wall in front of her. "How, how is there a turn? There's nothing." she rambled off in amazement.

"Yes, dere is. It's just that yuh ain't seein' it."

Sarah cautiously walked forward towards the wall with her hands out in front of her as a makeshift shield. As she approached were the wall should be, she flinched with the expectation of hitting it but nothing happened. She stared on in amazement as the wall bent back and offered her a choice to go left or right. She turned back to the worm and said, "Thank you, sir," and began heading off to her left.

"Wait!" she heard the worm's faint voice yell behind her.

Sarah retraced her steps back and asked the worm, "What?"

"Don't go that way! Never go that way. Unless yuh lookin' to go to that castle."

"Castle?"

"The king's castle. 'E may be able to 'elp yuh out o' 'ere. It is 'is Labyrinth. But no promises! 'E's not the nicest fella 'round, but 'e 'as a good heart."

Sarah nodded. Last time, I went right and it took me near thirteen hours to reach the castle. Perhaps this way shall be shorter, she thought as memories bit by bit came to her. "I shall go that way."

"Be sure yuh know that if yuh go that way, yuh still go through the Bog of Eternal Stench. Yuh sure you don't want to come inside and meet the missus and 'ave a cup o' tea?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I must be going. Thank you for your aide and hospitality, good worm." With her farewell, Sarah turned left and began her journey to the king's castle.

* * *

Sarah stared in amazement at the walls of the labyrinth that surrounded her. _It is quite astounding how complex a world my mind can create,_ she thought as the young woman followed yet another turn. The thud of her shoes on the cobblestone gave an empty feeling to the place; it was worse than silence.

"Well," she said out loud, to make some noise other than her shoes, "the mind is a complex thing, so it is only logical that it would be able to create a complex dream world."

Gradually, the crumbling walls were no longer infested with vines, but with trees. Some were small and only about four feet; others were near twenty feet tall and several feet wide. The farther she went the more trees and less wall she saw. Finally, all signs of a wall disappeared and she stood amidst a large forest. The shortest of the trees that surrounded her was over twenty feet; the majority though stretched beyond the limits of her sight and faded off into the clouds and sky. The trees' great and high limbs were clothed with moss and leaves; their roots dove boldly into the ground only to resurface several feet away high into the air before diving down yet again forming intimidating arches. The air was warm and muggy: not even the smallest of breezes stirred the air. The ground lay buried under a blanket of long ago fallen and rotting leaves. And everything was bathed in a warm but eerie brownish red light.

_This isn't right_, she thought as her eyes scanned the forest that spanned out in front of her. Sarah turned to glance over her shoulder but stumbled back, tripping on a root and falling flat on her back. The air was expelled from her lungs, and for several moments she couldn't breathe. Just as panic began to flood into her mind, the air was finally welcomed back into her lungs. She gasped as the warm air poured into her lungs, creating a welcomed relief.

Taking a shuddering breath, the green eyed woman sat up. The vast forest expanded on far behind her, well past where the stone walls should have been, but there was no sign of the labyrinth walls. She was completely engulfed in the forest.

Sarah crawled onto her knees and began to claw at the ground, scraping away the leaves and dirt. "There has to be some form of cobblestone under here. There has to be something to show me that there was rock. There has to be—There has to be!" _I'm not losing my mind, I refuse to go mad. I can't be-I can't be..._

_Get a grip on yourself, Sarah_, she chastised herself. Her hands loosened their hold on the dirt and leaves, letting it all spill from her unsteady and unclenched hands. She sat back on her heels, mumbling to herself, "Of course I'm not losing my mind. I'm in my mind, and it's playing tricks on me."

The brown haired woman stood up and brushed her knees off. "I guess if I keep walking, I'll get out sooner or later. Perhaps, I will wake up soon, and I'll never have to see this place again."

Taking a deep breath, she resumed her travels. As she continued on her way, the back of her mind began to prick. Sarah sent a few wary glances around her, observing the area. But nothing was amiss. In fact there was nothing. No sound, no animals—

A cackle ran through the forest and she froze. Another one, deeper, followed close behind it. She hesitantly sent her eyes around the forest one more time. There wasn't anything until—

Sarah's breath hitched in her throat. A pair of wide eyes stared back at her. Then another, and another. The brunette clenched her hands and bit her lip. _This isn't happening_, she chanted to herself as she faced forward and began walking.

A quick rhythm began to permeate the forest and Sarah quickened her pace to match it.

"Hey!" she heard behind her.

_This isn't happening. This isn't happening. Just walk. Just walk._

"Where you going, pretty lady?"

_Away. Away. This isn't happening._

"Come back, pretty lady!"

_No, no. This isn't happening._

"Stop her! Somebody stop her!"

_No, please, no. This isn't happening_, she continued to chant has the sounds and voices began to fade behind her. The last thing she heard was a rough voice say, "She just don't want to have no fun."

Sarah swallowed the bile that was rising in her throat and kept walking, determined to put distance behind those things—whatever they were—and her. Her mind began to create the creatures: small, lanky, bulbous bodies, wide-eyed, red, stringy hair, and removable limbs. She shook her head in attempt to rid herself of the horrid creatures of her imagination and continued walking.

The further she traveled the more aware she became of a foul odor the permeated the air. It hadn't been noticeable at first, but now it was quite a distinct smell. It wasn't too strong for the moment, yet it was worse than anything she had ever smelt: it was worse than rotten eggs, rotten fish, or anything else she could name. The farther she walked; the stronger and more unbearable the smell became.

Sarah stumbled onto a gray brick bridge. The smell had wafted off slightly, but was still strongly present. She stood at the edge of the bridge. The bricks seemed to just gradually form from the ground she stood on. There was no distinct line between the two. It all just melded together. She sighed, giving up on her possible insanity for now. It was something new to the eye, so she set a foot on the bridge and began walking. The bridge steeped upward for several feet and then leveled out and stayed that way. The young woman put a hand to her eyes and tried to spot where it ended but to no avail. It just continued on and on, winding into the haze of distance.

After walking for several minutes, Sarah felt beads of sweat beginning to form a crown around her forehead. She hastily wiped them away with the back of her hand and dried her hand on her jeans. As she continued on the bridge, her only company was the _clack, clack, clack_ of her shoes hitting the brick. The monotonous sound—_clack, clack, clack_. The budding pain in the soles of her feet that was gradually flowering its way up her calves. The straight path that continued on with no ending in sight.

Throwing her hands up in the air, the straight haired woman let out a frustrated scream and stamped her foot. "This is useless! I'll never get out. Why did my mind have to make something so complicated?" she cried out to no one in particular.

Suddenly, Sarah stopped and felt a flush rise to her cheeks. She hadn't had a tantrum like that since she was fifteen. Despite being alone, she couldn't put aside feeling embarrassed by her actions. In attempt to shake the past minute, she began to walk again, but something was off.

Taking a step, she froze in place as the stone she stepped on sank slightly and let out a moan. Before she had time to wonder what just happened, the stone gave completely way and disappeared from underneath her. For a brief moment she floated above the dark, gaping hole under her before plunging down it. Her back hit the hard stone. She held her head up to prevent it from hitting the stone as well. She felt herself gaining speed. A light appeared in front of her. She took a brief moment to ready herself for an exit and shot out of the hole. She managed to grab a hold of a root above the exit before she tumbled into a swampy, boggy mess that emanated the horrible stench she smelled earlier.

Sarah took a deep breath through her mouth in attempt to cut some of the stench and pulled herself up onto a small ledge. Carefully inching her way along the ledge, she discovered a spot of land. She was in the processes of deciding how to get down when the ledge beneath her slipped out of place and crashed on the ground beneath her.

Reacting quickly, she grasped a stray patch of vines before tumbling down with the rock she had been standing on. She kicked her legs and tried to pull herself up onto a nearby part of the ledge that had withstood the fall, but her efforts weren't awarded. She yelled for help, knowing that no one would hear her, but tried anyway.

_Honestly,_ she thought_, where is my mind coming up with this? What, is my mind feeling guilty and punishing me for it?_

Suddenly, a large hand grasped her back and legs. Sarah's mind screamed for her to crawl away from the hand, but something in her made her hands let go, knowing that she'd be safe. She let go and fell into a pair of awaiting arms. She looked up to see the face of the shaggy beast that she had remembered earlier that day. Its eyes opened wide and a smile creased its rough face. "Sawah," it said.

"Hello," she smiled. "Could you put me down, please?"

The beast obliged and set her down on the ground where she received calls of, "My lady! My lady!" and "Sarah, is that yeh?"

Sarah looked up to see the other characters from her distant memories running towards her. The fox said, "Ludo, my brother, you saved the sweet lady!"

The other said, "Sarah, it's been awhile."

Sarah, herself, stumbled back and tripped over a rock and fell flat on her back. Her descent was followed by cries of "My lady!" and "Sarah!" and lastly, "Sawah!" She hastily sat up and looked at the characters in front of her: a brownish-red, shaggy monster, a nicely dressed fox astride a white and gray shaggy dog, and a brown creature, who could pass as a dwarf the more she thought about it.

"I'm fine," she said. "There's just one problem. I don't know who you are."


	3. Friends of the Past

**Hello, readers! If you're new to this story, you don't have to worry about this. I've just gone back and edited the first few chapters. **

**If you are new, please let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Labyrinth'**

* * *

**Friends of the Past**

"Do yeh really not remember us, Sarah" the dwarf said, a frown creased his forehead and a sad look was in his eyes.

Sarah shook her head. "I'm sorry but no. You seem familiar, but I don't know you."

"Sawah don't wemeber?"

"I sadly anticipated this, my lady."

"Yeh never anticipated such a thing! I's told yeh all!"

"I resent that, good sir. I believe I told you."

"Erg! Believe what yeh want! Sarah, follow me!" With a crude wave of his arm signaling her to follow, the dwarf turned on his heel and walked—well more hobbled—his way across the stretch of land.

Sarah watched him for a moment before actually moving after him. She wasn't quite sure whether or not she could trust him. He seemed nice, but what if he was some ploy of her mind to keep her here, to hold her captive in from the real world? Maybe there was a possibility of being trapped in here if she gave into these figments of imagination.

Yet this all seemed so real. It seemed next to impossible that this whole thing was in her head.

Her reverie was broken when the dwarf said, "In here, Sarah."

He stood outside a large tree next to a drop-off into the bog. It, unlike the others, was quite short, only about fifteen or twenty feet tall and was about six feet wide. There were large roots jutting out from the base and diving back in the ground creating a maze of solid wood walls and openings.

The dwarf walked up to the largest gap in the roots and walked into it signaling for her to follow him once again. He quickly disappeared into the darkness of the gap. The young woman stared at where he disappeared until the fox said, "Go on in, my lady."

The brunette took a deep breath and stepped into the awaiting gap. Immediately, she was thrown into a musky darkness. Stretching her hands out in front of her and to the side, she tried to continue on without tripping or bumping into anything, which was simply attempting trying to put off the inevitable. By the end of the dark, underground passage, Sarah had more than a few scratches and bruises on her body.

The dark passage opened up into a large, dimly lit room after several moments of travelling. Sarah stood in a daze, waiting for her eyes to readjust to the presence of light. As the haze fell away and her sight was regained, Sarah gaped at the room she occupied. The room was about fifteen feet wide in diameter and nearly twenty-five feet tall. The walls were made out of tree; she stared in amazement as she realized that the whole room was the tree hollowed about beneath the ground. The green eyed woman looked up and saw the bark of the tree continue up until it became nothing but a blurred black shadow. Bringing her eyes back down to what was in front of her, Sarah spotted a fairly decent sized chair made from a hollowed out tree root on the opposite side of the room. A table next to it displayed a small bag, several plastic bracelets and a crown of twisted vines and leaves. The ground was covered with a rug of green, brown, and skeleton leaves most likely from the bog surrounding the tree. They only light in the room was from various bottles filled with fireflies.

Enticed by the warm light, the young woman turned away from the dwarf and made her way to the nearest bottle hanging on the tree wall. As she came closer, she was puzzled by the size of the fireflies which appeared to be easily as large as her fist. Sarah stopped in front of the bottle and stared into it. Her eyes adjusted to the glare and she spied five small figures, stuffed into the bottle— limbs entwined and entangled, faces scrunched up in discomfort.

Sarah let out a small whimper as she gazed into the sorry conditions that the fairies before her were in.

"I's leave them alone if I's was yeh," the dwarf's voice said.

"But, what did they ever do to you?" Sarah asked in horror.

The dwarf just grumbled in response.

Sarah stretched out her hands and wrapped them around the bottle. Carefully, she untied the string around the bottle's neck and cradled it close to her bosom. Her heart broke as the fairies let out cries of what sounded like pain to her. She looked over her shoulder briefly at the dwarf who was hobbling towards the chair before averting her attention back to the fairies. "You monster," she whispered fiercely.

The dwarf just huffed and mumbled in response.

Sarah tentatively uncorked the bottle and tipped it on its side. A fairy slid down and stopped short, stuck halfway out of the mouth of the bottle. Its face was one of panic as it pounded its small fists on the neck of the bottle and frantically kicked its feet in the air, struggling to free itself. Sarah carefully wrapped her fingers around the fairy's legs and slowly pulled it out, biting her lip out of the fear that she might injure the creature even further. She just wanted to help it.

_Pop!_

The fairy plopped out of the bottle into Sarah's hand. It moved to its knees and brushed itself off. Sarah leaned in, examining the small body for any blemishes. Once her face was within an inch of the fairy, it leaned forward and wrapped its lips around her nose. A sharp pain shot through the tip of Sarah's nose as if thousands of hot pins had been stuck into the tip of her nose.

With a yelp, Sarah's hands loosened their hold, and the bottle and fairy fell to the ground. The bottle shattered in to several shards that hid themselves in the mat of leaves. The fairies flew up and gleefully flitted about before flying through an opening and out of the tree, leaving that one corner a shade darker.

Sarah rubbed her nose and turned to the others with a pout. "I thought it would be nice. I helped it."

"That shows what yeh know," the dwarf said from his current position on top of the chair.

The fox, no longer astride his noble dog, walked to the side of the chair closely followed by the shaggy monster. The dwarf cleared his throat and began talking, "Since yeh seem to have forgotten yer friends, starting with an introduction seems fittin'. I'ms Hoggle, Prince of the Bog of Eternal Stench, thanks to yeh!" The dwarf, Hoggle, took a moment to fume and grumble over this bit then continued. "Here is Sir Didymus," he said pointing to the fox, "And the big lump of hair is…"

"My noble brother, Sir Ludo!" The fox, Sir Didymus, interrupted, if it had come from anyone else, it would have been called smug, but he made it prideful.

"I's was doin' this yeh…"

"We are in the presence of a lady," Sir Didymus said, "You should refrain from such language."

Hoggle grumbled yet again and reluctantly agreed. "As I's was sayin', that there is Ludo."

"It's a pleasure, I'm sure," Sarah stumbled out.

"Hast my lady truly forgotten us and our adventure to retrieve her brother from the clutches of the Goblin King?"

"Sawah fowgot?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't remember you. Wait," something struck Sarah, "did you just mention my brother?"

"Yes, my lady. I believe the lad's name to be Toby."

"H-how do you know such a thing?" _Wait, this is my imagination. My imagination would have access to my memories and previous imaginings. Right?_

"My lady, dost thou not remember fighting side-by-side nobly to save young Toby?"

A searing pain split through Sarah's head, and she let out a strangled yelp of pain and grasped her head. The pain which enclosed her was so intense that she didn't hear the cry of alarm form these creatures who claimed to be her friends. She felt herself falling. Falling. Falling. Down. Down. _As the world falls down…_

Memories poured into the forefront of her mind. So many flashed through, crowding her out and overworking her sense. She felt as though she was drowning in memories that she never truly remembered before now. They had been forgotten until now.

Sarah collapsed onto the mat of leaves, her body numb, her mind throbbing. A whimper of pain passed her lips as the memories crammed around the corners of her eyes fighting to be remembered.

A jumble of pictures—

A mesh of sayings—

Images, images, images—

Words, words, words—

As they came pouring in, Sarah pulled herself close together, reverting to the most primal and comfortable position she could be in. She desperately clawed to find a way out, but the memories wouldn't allow her to escape, and she ultimately gave in to their bombardment.

_The memory of wishing her brother away to the Goblin King became clearer than before…_

_ She remembered all that was said when he came to her_…

"What's said is said." He said that. He was the first to say that. A common phrased she used now had come from him.

_ Yet, he had been willing to give her a chance to get her brother back. "He is there in my castle…It's further than you think…You have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth before your baby brother becomes one of us forever."_

_ Starting the labyrinth…_

_ She stumbled upon the dwarf, Hoggle, in the middle of shooting fairies. She had tried to get him to tell her what to do, but he was difficult and shoved her back… _

_Once she had finally entered the labyrinth, and after some deliberation and no help from Hoggle, she had turned right…_

_ She had become frustrated with the fact that there were no turns. She had collapsed and met the worm…_

_She had continued on her way, using her lipstick to mark where she was going. Then when she backtracked, she discovered that someone had been moving her marks. She had gone in the direction that her mark was pointing, but it had just been a dead end…_

This was too much. The memories were too much. Too much to take in at once, but they kept piling into her mind.

_She had to choose between two doors presented to her. One always told the truth. The other always lied. She had solved it…_

_She had fallen. Fallen. Fallen. Into a dark hole where green hands reached out of the wall and caught her. Then they had talked…_

_They had asked which way she wanted to go: up or down?..._

_They had dropped her. Down. Down. Into a black hole of nothing. Nothing. Nothing…An oubliette._

_Hoggle had come. Had come to take her back to the beginning. But he brought light, a something in that nothingness. Something in that place of forgotten things. She had convinced him, with a little bribing, to take her further into the Labyrinth…_

_She was out of it. She was on her way. Deeper into the labyrinth. Deeper into the labyrinth to the center. Deeper into the labyrinth to the center to the Goblin City. Deeper into the labyrinth to the center to the Goblin City beyond which the castle laid. The Castle beyond the Goblin City…_

_Then, they ran into him. He had been disguised as a goblin at first, but he was quick to take off the costume that he had donned on. He questioned Hoggle, wanted to make sure he was taking her back to the beginning. He had turned his cold eyes to her then. His eyes had sent shivers down her spine. Eyes so cold. Eyes so commanding. Eyes so proud. Eyes so sad. Eyes so desperate… _

_He had questioned her on his Labyrinth. How did she find it? Her pride made her foolishly reply, "It's a piece of cake."… _

"_How about upping the stakes?" he had replied. He cruelly took away one of her precious hours she had to solve the labyrinth. She had exclaimed it to be unfair. His unfeeling reply was, "You say that so often. I wonder what your basis for comparison is?"… _

_He had then even made it worse; he sent the cleaners after her. Hoggle and Sarah had to run for dear life. They had stumbled upon a locked down and had to back track, only to find another locked door, which they luckily managed to break down with not a second to spare… _

_They had then climbed a ladder and resurfaced in the Labyrinth. Hoggle was going to leave her then. Then the man had come. Some wise man with a bird on his head… _

"_Sometimes the way forward is also the way back," he had said… _

_Hoggle and Sarah had carried on. Deeper into the Labyrinth. The cobblestone and rock wall became cobblestone and bushes. A large growl had emanated somewhere ahead, and Hoggle had run off scared. She had carried on…_

_That's where she had found Ludo, tied to a tree and being tortured by goblin guards. After throwing some rocks and getting them to retreat, she managed to let him down…_

_Then came the knockers. After a conversation with knockers, something Sarah never imagined would happen, she went through one door…_

"_Knock, and the door will open."_

_Ludo and Sarah had entered a forest…_

_Ludo had disappeared. She was alone. She called for help. That was when she stumbled upon those odd creatures. Tall, lanky, shaggy bright red and orange fur, and obsessed with taking their hands, legs and heads off and playing around with them…_

_She had been terrified and ran off. She had come across a wall. Hoggle stood at the top and through a vine over. Sarah climbed up with the aid of Hoggle, and stood safely on the wall…_

_In fact, the same thing that happened to her today, happened then. She had fallen down the tunnel along with Hoggle, and they had almost fallen into the bog. She had found Ludo then. Then came the first meeting with the fox, Sir Didymus and his dog…_

_After nearly falling into the bog, she and the others carried on through the forest. Hunger began to claw at her belly when Hoggle had become a lifesaver and given her a peach to eat. It had looked so delicious, and she had greedily taken a bite. But it didn't taste quite right. It was off. It was infected... _

_She had fallen. Down. Down. Down. The world around her was dancing. His crystals had come to her: his perfect little dreams had come to her. Within it she saw what he wanted for her, what she wanted for herself. She willingly entered into the crystal; she willingly entered into him_…

_Enclosed in the evanescent dream that the he had created for her, she had sought him out. She knew he was there; he had to be there. She would catch a brief sight of him, but the moment she looked he was gone, a fleeting shadow…_

_Then, there he was, standing before her in regal attire. His dark blue coat bringing out his features perfectly. Then came his arms around her, twirling bodies, the dizziness of the dance, the music went straight to her head. She was drunk in this perfect crystal dream. Being with him, feeling so elegant in the dress that encased her figure, she never wanted to leave. Then the clock began to chime. That was when it all change. She had remembered her brother. He was still holding her brother. He had created this crystal dream to distract her…_

_She had broken the crystal. Shattered the false dream that enclosed her. The air had filled with shrieks and an unheard groan of pain and loss filled her being. She landed in a trash heap where the trash woman tried to push objects of her past on her. For a moment she was lost in the memories. There was something pressing on her heart, an urgency to find something—someone…_

_She remembered Toby. She overcame it. She bested him yet another time. Ludo and Sir Didymus had helped her out, and they made their way to the gates of the Goblin City which lay just a few short yards away. The gate had proved more difficult than it looked. They became trapped, surrounded by spikes and faced by a goblin in a mechanical giant. They wouldn't have made it past if good old Hoggle hadn't come to the rescue and stopped the giant. Then came the battle in the city. Sir Didymus, Ludo and Hoggle all did equally amazing jobs at helping her and keeping her safe. They had won and had reached the castle…_

_She had separated from the others then. She had to face him alone. And so she went. It had been so confusing. Stairs entwined in unrecognizable paths that defied gravity and logic…_

_He had come to her in that place. That is where he made is appearance. He had faced her then making the claims that she had been the one who was cruel, he had been kind but her cruelness had drove him to treat her cruelly. Then the challenge was given she had to reach her brother, but the maze of stairs was worse than the whole Labyrinth had been. Always changing. Making no sense. One moment her brother would be above her, then suddenly below her. She had become fed up. She was going to get her brother, even if it meant jump. And that is what she did jump…_

_It had all fallen apart with that quick jump. The stairs had fallen apart. It was all eerily still, resembling a lost civilization. Then he'd appeared. Flowing in white feathers, proud and harsh and magnificent. She asked for her brother back. He went on to say that he could no longer be generous, and he would become cruel. Generous? Yes, he had done so much for her he claimed, complied with her whims. He tried to get her to stay with him, but she didn't. "You have no power over me." The expression on his face before he fell to oblivion…_

_She had won. She had beat him. She had destroyed him_.

"I destroyed him," Sarah said as the memories settle and her body and mind calmed. "He tried to keep me and I got away with Toby. I solved the labyrinth!" She exclaimed sitting up and glancing over the faces of those she remembered to be her friends…_Should you need us._

"I needed you," whispered Sarah.

"What was that, my lady?"

"Every now and again in my life, I've needed you. But you didn't come! You never came when I needed you! I forgot all about you! All about this place! When I needed an escape from things, when I needed someone to talk to, you never came!" Sarah felt her voice creeping into a high-pitch whine that was too immature for her, but she didn't care.

"Sarah," Hoggle said, "yeh never called us."

Sarah choked back a sob and wrapped her arms around her legs, burying her face in her knees.

Truth was: she didn't remembering calling them. But she did know that there were many times when they would have been nice. Why hadn't she called them?

Truth was: she hadn't remembered them. She didn't remember any of this. She still couldn't be sure that this was real. But it felt so right being here.

"Sawah, no cry," Ludo said and she felt a large hand envelope her back.

Sarah breathed deeply—trying to repress the tears—and rubbed her eyes frantically with the heel of her hand. She took a shuttering breath and forced her face to flex its muscles into a resemblance of a smile. "I—I'm not," she said, praying her eyes wouldn't betray her by being bloodshot.

"My lady, may I be so bold as to ask why thou, my sweet lady, are here once again in the Labyrinth?"

"Honestly, I'm not quite sure. I don't even know whether or not this is real."

"Dost thou believe we are not real, my lady?"

Sarah brought two fingers to her left temple and rubbed them in small circles for a brief moment. She had a creeping headache, and if this was a prelude to what was coming she wasn't excited for the grand finale. "I don't know. I mean, how can you? Things like this shouldn't be real. Logically speaking…"

Hoggle waddled over to her and placed a hand on her knee. "A few years ago yeh would have believed in us, Sarah. Yeh didn't need logic then."

Sarah bit her lip. She was completely and utterly torn. Half of her wanted to be reasonable. She _had _hit her head before any of this happened. It could all be a concussion induced hallucination. But the other half of her—the stronger half—kept telling her this was right. This was home. Something about this place resonated within her, it was familiar. Like a memory, or a dream of a memory. _No,_ she shook her head._ This isn't a memory, it can't be because I don't have any previous recollection of this place. It's more of the dream than a memory. But these friends, I feel like I know him. And then there is—_but she couldn't bring herself to think of the man who whether in dream or reality had caused so much pain, let alone his name.

"Sawah awight?"

Sarah gave a light smile and brought a hand to her shoulder and grasped one of Ludo's large fingers. "I'm going to be fine," she meant it. Despite all the doubts and fears, these creatures felt so warm, so friendly. She was going to enjoy this for however long it lasted and humor her imagination. "So how have things been going here?" she asked.


	4. The Once Great King

**Hello, readers! I'm finally back! It's been a crazy month and a half, and things are only going to get more hectic. Since life is becoming so busy, my other story will be going on hiatus and this one will become an update as often as I can. I have the story laid out; I just need to type it up. I will do my best to get updates up as quickly as possible. Hopefully, it can go a bit faster because I will only be focusing on one now.**

**Thanks for all the support so far. I really appreciate it. And thanks for all the reviews, I take each one seriously and to heart. I can't improve without critiques! Be sure to tell me what you think of this chapter!**

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**Chpt 2: The Once Great Goblin King: The Story Unfolds**

Her question was greeted with silence. There was a shuffle of feet and rustle of clothing as Hoggle went to sit back down. Sir Didymus' dog let out a low whimper which Ludo matched with a low growl.

Finally, Sir Didymus broke the silence, "My lady, art thou sure you wish to know?"

"Well, I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't curious. I heard that the king was weak. Is it true?"

"Where'd yeh hear that?" Hoggle asked her with a note of irritation.

"A-a worm."

Hoggle murmured furiously, his brows knit tightly together. "Damn that worm. And damn Jareth, too."

_Jareth. That name is so familiar. _It sent a thrill down her spine. "Jareth," Sarah repeated, taking in the shivering waves that coursed through her body as she said the name. There was one problem: "Who is he?"

Hoggle's eyes opened wide in surprise. He stammered, "Us—I's—understood, but Jareth?"

Ludo questioned, "Sawah fowgot him?"

Sir Didymus walked up to her and took her hand him his small ones. "Hast my lady truly forgot the man who stole her brother?"

_Oh. Him._ Pain once again split her head as images flashed into her head like a picture slideshow. _A man with dangerous and entrancing mismatched eyes and long flaxen blonde hair chopped shorter at the top (some strands flew off in directions that could defy gravity). He stood before her in black armor and cape, the air glittering around him. He towered before her in a dark tunnel in grey tights, white poet's shirt and black vest. He transfixed her in a shimmering blue coat and regal air. He taunted her in a black and red ensemble. He tested her in a complete white outfit with a cape of feathers, before falling—utterly defeated—into a mass of cloth and feathers before becoming an owl. _Sarah gulped, "I remember him." _Every fearful and awe inspiring thing._

A small whimper struck her ear, and a wet nose pressed against her palm waking her from her reverie. She smiled and patted the dog on the head before rubbing it behind the ears. The dog leaned into her fingers and arched his head closer to her.

"You are such a sweetheart, aren't you—" Her eyes flashed upwards desperately.

Sir Didymus came to her aid and said, "My lady, since thou hast forgotten us, you must excuse it as our fault for not also reintroducing my noble steed, Ambrosias!"

She gave the noble fox a gracious smile before turning her eyes back to the dog. "Aren't you, Ambrosias?"

The furry animal gave her a small yip in response and lay down with his head in her lap. As the dog settled into a comfortable position, Sarah turned her eyes back to the forms of those who claimed to have been her friends. "So am I going to learn what happened here after I defeated Jareth?" she asked, the name leaving an odd taste on her tongue.

The fox and dwarf exchange brief glances, a silent war viciously being fought between the two small forms. After a moment Hoggle looked away and grumbled, "Fine. Tell 'er if yeh want to so badly. I's ain't lost my 'ead. 'E still scares me, and 'e should scare yeh, too."

Sir Didymus wrinkled his muzzle in disgust and proclaimed, "I am no coward, sir!" He turned from the fuming dwarf and sat down across from Sarah, setting the walking stick he clutched in his hands across his knees. "My lady, I suppose I must start at the beginning. The king was once a great goblin king."

Hoggle gave a brief guffaw, and shifted positions in his chair. He reached over a grabbed a plastic bracelet and began to lace in and out of his fingers.

The fox continued on undeterred, "The king was very powerful and feared throughout the Underground. His rule was harsh and stern."

"I can believe that," Sarah muttered.

"He began to form this very Labyrinth when—"

"Yous ain't got to start from the very beginning!" Hoggle exclaimed from his chair in a passion.

Sir Didymus jumped to his feet and thrashed his walking stick at his companion. "I say, sir, let me tell the story! You refused to so the duty hast fallen upon me to inform the sweet lady—"

"About what has recently occurred! She don't need a full backstory!"

"Well, I never—If thou hast such grand ideas on how to tell her, I pray, sir, that thou can tell her."

"Fwends no fight," the shaggy monster stated simply, stepping in between the arguing figures.

The fox's tense body loosened and he allowed his shoulders to relax. "My brother is correct. We must not fight. The lady asked how things were going, and we should tell her."

The three figures retreated to their separate areas and sat down. Silence fell within the tree. No one dared to speak and continue the story.

As Sarah opened her mouth to urge someone to continue, Ludo said, "King weak. King fail Labyrinth."

"I hate to say it, my lady, but I must agree with my brother. The King has grown weak and is unable to take care of the Labyrinth anymore."

"Well," Sarah wondered, "can't someone else take over? Surely someone else is in line to rule the labyrinth."

"Shows what yeh know," Hoggle interrupted. "The Labyrinth is Jareth, Sarah. It's 'is realm and an extension of 'is power to protect the Goblin City. There ain't anyone else fittin' to rule the Labyrinth."

"Okay," Sarah tried to reason. "Why is he so weak? Surely he could heal himself if he was sick, right?"

"My lady, this may be hard for thou to hear, but, he is weak because of you. When thou defeated him, he lost much of his power and even more of his pride. After thou left him and disgraced his offer, he fell into a depression that he still remains in."

The woman stared at the fox in disbelief, blinking rapidly. "Wait a minute now. Are you saying that this is all my fault? Let's suppose I believe this for one moment. That I wished Toby away, won him back, defeated this Jareth, let's pretend that it all really happened for a moment."

"But, Sarah, it did."

"Only in my mind!" she snapped. "As real as you may seem, this is all in my mind—a concussion induced illusion. But let me believe what you say for a moment," she took a breath and whispered to herself, "Even though it might set back my recovery."

"Yes, my lady?" the fox prompted her.

"If I'm to believe that all really happened, then that means that your king's labyrinth is falling to pieces because me? Because of what I said as a fifteen year old girl? Was your king that pathetic to begin with? Guess what? Rejection happens all the time. He needs to get off his lazy ass and move on," Sarah finished, puzzled at the passionate anger that had so quickly possessed her.

"My lady, your defeat over him was more than a simple rejection."

"How?"

Sir Didymus let out a sigh and brought a small paw to his temple. "I understand, good sir, why thou were so reluctant to tell her."

"I's told yeh."

"Bwotha should've listened."

"Yes, yes he should've. But he has already started to tell the story, so for the lady's sake he must continue, whether or not she understands."

Sir Didymus turned his attention from his comrades to look back at Sarah with glistening dark eyes. "You see, my lady, my king put a good deal of effort and power into keeping thou from reaching the center. Thou exhausted him. When thou refused to stay behind, it was a final blow. Not only was he distraught at the fact that a mere girl had beaten him, but that he had lost so much power for her and that she had rejected him when all he want was for thou to—"

Hoggle cleared his throat noisily. "I believe that piece of information can be left unsaid."

The fox gave him a curt nod. "You are quite right, good sir." Fixing his attention back on the enraptured young woman, he continued his story. "In a weakened state, my king was unable to fulfill his duties with full conviction and power.

One day, a year after you had left, a demon was spotted on the outskirts of the Labyrinth. My king thought nothing of it. No threats were being made and no one had been harmed, he saw it as a nuisance that wasn't pressing. He wished to preserve the small amount of power he still had left. And so, for the next couple of years, the demon was pushed from everyone's minds.

But the demon, who is called by Orgath, began to cause trouble. It was minor things at first, enough for a small party from the army to take care of it. Then he began to invade the Labyrinth. Many battles were fought and—"

"I think that's enough," the dwarf interrupted again. "No reason to bore her with battles."

It was now Sir Didymus' turn to sit and grumble. As he fumed, Sarah turned her attention to Hoggle.

"That not much else yous need to know," he told her. "Yous defeated Jareth. Jareth lost most of 'is power and fell into depression. 'E allowed a demon to slip in unnoticed. And the demon is slowly tearing apart the Labyrinth. There ain't much else."

The woman stared deer-eyed at the browned, leathered figure, her jaw falling slack. Her mind was on a whirlwind, one thought never occupying her conscious mind for more than a moment. "Why—how—" she tripped over, trying to formulate a sentence, even simply a coherent thought. "How, how's everyone holding up?" she finally managed to squeeze out.

"Not as well as is desired, my lady," Sir Didymus responded, rejoining the conversation with gusto. "We have lost many brave souls, and homes have been abandoned or destroyed. The inner walls of the Labyrinth have yet to be destroyed, but the demon moves closer with each passing day."

"And, this is—this is all because me?" Sarah asked as the consequences of her words from so long ago slowly trickled into her mind.

"My lady, thou was but a young girl; though cannot be blamed for everything. Tis true that your actions are what weakened the king and allowed this monstrous demon to destroy our homes, our friends' lives and—"

"That'll do," Hoggle interrupted the babbling fox as he witnessed Sarah's eyes widening and her lower lip beginning to tremble. He slid off the throne and hobbled towards Sarah. Gently, he picked up her hands in his coarse ones and looked into her watering eyes with his compassionate blue ones and said, "Don't be blaming yerself, Sarah. Jareth just don't know 'ow to handle rejection. It's not your fault."

Sarah gave a small laugh and tried to blink back the tears that were beginning to puddle in her eyes. "I—I don't know why I'm so upset about this. I don't really remember this. I don't know this place. Why is this affecting me so much?" She demanded to anyone who was willing to answer her question.

"I's don't know, Sarah," Hoggle replied sympathetically.

A thought struck the confused woman. "Maybe I can help you. Maybe if I can help get rid of this demon I will wake up. That's how I'm supposed to get out! I defeated Jareth last time, maybe I need to defeat this demon this time. Then I'll be back home, and Toby! Oh, poor Toby must be worried."

The dwarf gently squeezed her hands and called out to her. The woman halted in her rapid thoughts and looked at the wide-eyes of this claimed-to-be friend. Her lips spread into a deliriously happy smile as she demand, "Take me to the Goblin City. I want an audience with the king."


	5. An Audience With the King

**Sorry this has taken so long. Things just kept coming up. This is just a short little chapter to finally bring in our favorite king. **

**This will be my last chapter for a little while for two reasons. 1) Things keep coming up in my life and I rarely find time to work on it which means that I lose the flow of the story often. 2) This isn't the best I have to offer and I don't want to do a sloppy so-so story. I won't delete it, but when I have time to sit down and work on it I will edit current chapters and work on the future chapters more. Please be patient! **

**Thank you for the support I've already received. I want to be able to give you the best and right now, this isn't it.**

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_Oh God_, Sarah muttered as her eyes widened at the tall, ornate doors that loomed in front of her. As her eyes roved over the entrance to the Goblin Castle doubt began to nibble at the back of her mind. "I—I don't think I should do this," she choked out.

"But, my lady, he is the only one who could help you."

"Yeah, Sarah. Besides, yeh've come this far already. Yeh might as well go on."

The brunette woman swallowed the lump that was quickly lodging itself in her throat. Giving a meek nod, she followed the quartet up to the doors. Taking a shaky breath, Sarah stretched her hand out across the cool wood and pushed. The door creaked open and her senses were assailed. Thundering laughs, high-pitched screeching and overall raucous clawed at her ear drums. Stale beer and the bitter stench of sweat and bodily excrements raked the inside of her nose.

Throwing a hand over her nose with a disgusted "Ugh!", she stepped into the castle. "Was it always this bad?" she gagged out, trying her best to not breathe in the noxious air but failing miserably.

"What, Sarah?" Hoggle yelled in response over the clamor of noise behind his own pinched nose.

The brunette snuck in a breath, repressing the urge to vomit, and yelled, "Was it always this bad?"

"Naw," Hoggle said with a shake of his head. "The King just hasn't been too focused on the upkeep of the castle."

Sarah nodded and turned to face the throng of goblins filling the throne room. "Where is he?" she asked, more to herself than anyone else, as she stepped forward into the crowded area.

"My lady, look out!" was the last cry she heard as her foot stepped into a slick mixture.

Squeezing her eyes tightly, Sarah awaited the impact but was surprised when she only felt a pair of strong hands clasp her arms. Warm breath tickled her ear as a silky voice dripped into it, "My, my, my. You can't even stand on your own anymore." The hands became harsh as they roughly jerked her up and steadied her on her own feet.

"Such a pity," the voice sighed.

The woman gnawed at her bottom lip as the clear clack of boots against cobblestone was heard in the now dead silent throne room. As grey pants and a white shirt was spotted in her peripheral vision, her emerald eyes darted towards the littered floor.

A dark chuckle surrounded her before a harsh voice called out, "Out, the lot of you! I have a very important visitor to attend to."

The clamor of shifting bodies and armor saturated the air as the goblins tripped over each other to get out, to not necessarily be first but to definitely not be last. As their commotion faded away, the voice drawled, "You too, Higgle. Your friends as well."

Bright greens eyes darted up from the dark floor to confront an entrancing mismatched pair. Sarah felt her heart fluttering rapidly against her chest, a bird caged, trapped, while a cat watches hungrily nearby. Snatching a deep breath to calm herself, Sarah murmurs, "No. They stay with me."

"Oh," he tsked condescendingly, "where's that courage that defeated my kingdom? No longer able to face me alone?" He gave a forced laugh as he stalked to his throne, hands clasped behind his back. With a flourish he sat down and tossed a leg over one of the arms, the other tapping lazily on the floor.

"I—I have a proposition for you," the woman began, determined to not take the bait that he dangled tantalizingly close to her face.

"And what would that be?" he inquired absentmindedly, his eyes focused on inspecting his flawless, black gloves.

"That I help with—with this demon," she squeezed out. "Maybe if I help I can go home. I defeated you last time. I'm betting that this time I need to help defeat it," she ended as firmly as she could.

Hard eyes flashed to meet hers. The Goblin King swung his leg in front of himself and leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and resting his pointed chin in a long-fingered hand in a deceivingly bored manner. "And what makes you believe that you could be of any help to me?"

"I'm the reason this all happened, aren't I?" Sarah retorted, some of her natural spitfire returning. "I would think that I was able to aid in some manner."

"Mmm yes," he said snidely, "but you see, my dear Sarah, you left. You left this city, this kingdom to rot without a second thought. Now tell me, why would I accept your help with that information present?" With a quirk of one of his high-arched eyebrows, he leaned back on his throne. His eyes burning her.

Such cruel eyes, but so beautiful.

The strands of a distant melody surfaced. _Your eyes can be so cruel, just as I can be so cruel._ The melancholic and pained tuned entwined itself around the woman's conscious. Shaking her head to clear her mind of the fog that had blurred her mind, Sarah squared her shoulders and raised her chin. "I was only a teenager then."

"Old enough to be held responsible for your actions," he retorted effortlessly.

"I was getting my brother back after you stole him," she returned, her blood boiling at the ease with which he played her.

"Only after you wished it so," his eyes appeared as icy crystals as his voice met their coldness.

"I was tired. I didn't—"

"What?" he mocked. "You didn't expect anything to happen. Oh no, no, no, dear Sarah, we both know better than that. You knew full well the words you spoke, and you knew of their power. Nothing may be pinned on me, but all may be pinned on you."

"Listen here," Sarah yelled at him, "I'm tired of your crap. I was just supposed to be looking after Toby tonight and I end up here; a place that I've apparently been to already but only just remembered what happened all those years ago, and I assure you that being older hasn't changed my opinion of your narcissistic ass! If anything, my opinion of you has worsened.

For God's sake, I don't even know you. I don't even know if this place is real or in my mind, but one thing is for certain: _you_. I've got to get out of here. You're in charge here. It's pretty obvious to me that the only way I'm getting out is through you. Now, I'm helping defeat this damn demon because if it's stopping _you_ from helping _me_ then it needs to go. Or maybe I just have to defeat it on my own. I don't really know."

The words fell from her lips as a clang rang through the castle followed in quick succession by several more. Her eyes slipped from the king to her friends. Hoggle stood wringing his hands in absolute terror, Ludo appeared to be frightened, and Sir Didymus had mounted his steed and his lips were curled over his teeth in a snarl. The confused woman returned her eyes to the king who was now standing erect in front of his throne; all traces of laziness and lethargy had fled from his limbs. His mismatched eyes blazed with fury as he yelled for his goblins and sent the bumbling mass into the city, fumbling for their swords as they did so.

With a flick of the wrist, a crystal appeared on the king's fingertips. His blazing eyes came down on Sarah as he explained in all manners of politeness, "Excuse me, my dear Sarah. It appears as if I must take care of the mess you left." His eyes turned hard as he tsked, "Such a child, yelling. You'll be of no service to me acting in such a way."

Sarah's hands clenched at her side as she opened her mouth with a burning retort on her tongue, but before the scathing remark could pass her lips, the king hurled the crystal at the ground. As the shards scattered onto the floor and turned into the faintest traces of glitter, the king disappeared leaving only empty space and shimmering air.


	6. Attack

**Hello, readers! Sorry this has taken a while. As my senior year comes to a close, school is taking up a bit of my time along with unknown health issues. But, I will do my best to continue updating! I've worked out one kink in the story, so I'm quite happy about that. I will also be updating the earlier chapters shortly: just combing the parts and doing a bit of editing, but nothing new will happen so don't worry!**

**Please leave a review and let me know what you think of the new developments!**

**Discalimer: I don't own 'Labyrinth'**

* * *

**Attack **

Sir Didymus let out a growl as he jumped astride Ambrosias. "Have no fear, my lady!" he declared. "I shall rid the Labyrinth of this demon!" Brandishing his can and thrusting it intimidatingly in the air in front of him, he dug his heels in to his faithful steed's side. The dog let out a brief whimper and backed up. The fox sighed and warned, "If you do not do as I say, I swear that I _will_ never feed you again."

The sheep dog let out a growl.

"I mean it this time, Ambrosias. It's your choice," he replied undeterred.

Reluctantly, the dog ran through the door out of the chamber room and disappeared from sight with a bark. One last whoop of delight was heard from Sir Didymus before the room fell silent.

Sarah turned her wide green eyes to Hoggle who was wringing his hands. "What the hell is happening?" she demanded.

He jumped at the force in her voice and tightened his grip on his own hands. "T-That would be Orgath," he spluttered out.

Just then loud cries and smashing metal penetrated the still air of the throne room. The brown haired woman jumped and ran to the nearest window, desperate to see what was going on. She skidded to a stop and placed her hands on either side of the window and leaned through the uncovered hole. A warm wind chafed the smooth skin of her face. Squinting through the sunlight that beat down from the sky, her emerald eyes spied the bumbling mass of goblins swinging into thin air.

Sarah's shoulders slouched as she watched the idiot display of the goblins. "What an enemy," she mumbled sarcastically as her eyes grazed over the ranks.

As her eyes began to withdraw from the confusion and bustle outside, a shifting figure caught her attention. Her head snapped towards it, but the moment she was looking directly where she saw it there was nothing there but grumbling goblins and their shadows. Another dark flash crossed in the corner of her eye and it was followed by another. As her eyes desperately followed the movements she detected, she repeatedly turned up empty handed. Giving up, her eyes scanned the battle crazed city once more, briefly falling on its king who stood tall amongst the chaos giving out orders and taking swings at shadows with his riding crop on occasion.

_Why in the world is he swinging at shadows?_ she wondered and slowly it dawned on her: the shadows. Trying something, she stared straight ahead of her and unfocused her eyes so that she gaze off at nothing. The moment her vision fell slack, a small shriek past her lips as she brought her hands to her mouth and stumbled away from the window.

"Oh my God," she choked out. "What the hell was that?"

The entire city was populated by living shadows. Moving, breathing, twisting, oozing all over the city. Their mouths hallow pits and their eyes burning with an angry passion. Collapsing into a pile of quivering limbs, Sarah's mind whirled with images of what she had just seen. She clutched her head and doubled over.

"It's not real," she whispered repeatedly, a quiet mantra to herself.

A small hand rested on her shoulder and the brown haired woman let out a shriek, jumping away from it. Her panicked eyes searched and found Hoggle looking at her with sympathies in his big, blue eyes. Ludo stood behind him, his head tilted to the side and a frown pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"Sarah, are yeh a'right?" he asked tentatively.

"Who are they?" tumbled out of her mouth.

"The Shadow People. His subjects. Once, ours."

Her green eyes widened as she threw herself at the window. She peered out, her eyes wide in horror, and watched as a squat goblin let out a gargled yell as his flesh blackened and melted off his body.

"They're dying!" she exclaimed.

"They always do," Hoggle supplied.

With great pain, she tore her eyes away from the massacre and rested the blazing globes on Hoggle. "How do you kill them? The Shadow People? Why aren't they dying? Why is it only the goblins?" she shrieked in hysterics.

The quivering form of Hoggle shrugged his shoulders.

A fire ignited in the young woman at that gesture. She stood and stalked over to her cowering friend. "He just lets them die, knowing full well they can't do anything to prevent it?" she demanded.

The dwarf had no response for her.

Tightening the ponytail that sat on top of her head, she growled, "Not on my watch." Without another word, she dashed out of the castle and into the city.

* * *

The moment she stepped out of the castle she felt it. The shock of it froze her body. The dread, the complete dread that dragged her limbs down. Overpowering, an overpowering presence that sent chills down her spine. As the war raged on in front of her, her eyes glazed over until they were blind to what was occurring before her.

A scream tore from her lips as she clutched her heart and her limbs buckled. Hard cobblestone struck her head and a dull pain permeated her head. But it was nothing. Nothing compared what had consumed her body

"Oh, God," she muttered at the fear that had pierced her heart. The darkness. The torture. The horror. The loneliness. The fear. The unknown. Gasping, she slowly came to terms with what was wracking havoc on her body. Gaining enough of her wits back to push herself off the ground, her horror was only renewed with what stood in front of her. Her emerald eyes widened as she took in the twisted form in front of her.

He was handsome. God, was he handsome. His form was tall and lean and every inch of it was sleek muscle. His hair was jet black and flowed down in loose waves to his shoulders. His skin was a creamy pale, but darkness pooled under it—moving, stretching, flowing across the pale expanse. His body was clothed in tight black pants and boots and a large poets shirt whose front was undone, showing the firm planes of his chest. And his eyes…

Sarah's mouth fell slack as she gazed into her eyes. They were Jareth's. They were Jareth's eyes but so much darker, so much crueler, and so full of pain. And as those eyes fell on her, lips began to pull back over sharp canines in a feral grin.

"Look who I found!" a deep voice exclaimed. "Jareth is becoming lazy, isn't he?" he tsked.

"Orgath!" a familiar voice called out behind him.

The figure turned slowly with a roll of the eyes. "Yes, my dear Jareth?" he called as if talking to a bothersome child.

"Leave her alone," came the measured response as Sarah watched the Goblin King make his way up the street to them.

"Or what, Goblin King?" the black creature sneered. "You can't really kill me, now can you," he taunted.

The blond king froze for a moment before walking past him and planting himself in front of Sarah. "Oh come now," the king returned in his usually condescending manner, "I never said anything about killing."

"But you implied, Goblin King. That's just as good."

"Only an idiot makes judgments from implications," he quipped.

The black clad man stared at him wide eyed before throwing his head back and laughing. It was a cold, hard sound that reminded Sarah of nails on a chalk board as she clasped her hands of her ears.

"The great Goblin King's got some of his fight back, has he?" the creature jeered. Putting his creamy hands together he looked to Sarah and said sincerely, "Thank you. This will be so much more fun now!" His eyes returned to their double as a sneer curled his lips. "Won't it, Jareth?"

As he spoke, the shadows that had held the city hostage began to slither their way to him and crawled around the man, entering into his skin and clothes. Once the last of the Shadow People had slipped into him, another laughed past his lips as a dark ball materialized on outstretched hands. He tossed it onto the ground and its dark shards pierced the air. The green eyed woman barely had time to cover her eyes before the glass like shards flew by, tearing at all exposed skin.

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes and bled under her closed lids at the profuse stinging that covered her body. After a few moments passed, she tentatively lifted her hands from her eyes to view the emptiness around her and the dark fragments that littered the ground.

Jareth turned from the empty air that now stood before him and stalked over to where the brunette lay in a tangled heap of limbs on the ground. Her emerald eyes followed his lean figure as he walked up to her. He sat back on his heels in one quick fluid motion before snatching her chin in his leather clad hand.

"What the hell was that?" Sarah stuttered out as his long fingers moved her head to different angles.

"Quiet!" he barked, his mismatched eyes blazing briefly before they dimmed again as he returned to inspecting her.

The young woman clamped her mouth shut and bit her lip, her eyes shooting off to observe a small distraction. She continued sitting this way as the Goblin King's hand left her face to inspect the rest of her limbs. Finally, he sighed and said in a tired voice, "I need you to look at me."

Sarah sat in defiant silence, her eyes still avert.

"Sarah," he pleaded. When his only response was still silence, he growled in frustration and lunged forward, grabbing her face between his two cool leather hands, and turned her head towards him.

A small squeak of surprise past her lips as her eyes unwillingly met his. Just as she felt a flush beginning to rise under the intensity of his gaze, his grip fell slack and he stood up.

"You don't have any major injuries. A few scrapes, but nothing a brave soul like you couldn't handle," he explained callously as he walked around her and roughly grabbed her arms, pulling her up off the cobblestone and onto her feet.

"However, next time," he breathed into her ear, "let's not have you run out and risk any further damage."

Her emerald eyes spark as she broke herself away from his grasp and turned to face him. "But I couldn't let them just die!" she urged insistently. "I could help," she pleaded.

"Yes, because you proved yourself so valiantly today," he scoffed. "Running into something you don't understand and nearly getting yourself killed. I see things haven't changed much." he bit out.

"Maybe it would help if I actually understood what that…that…that _thing_ was!" she retorted, gesturing madly as a word to better describe what she had just seen failed her.

The king that stood before her returned to a cool mask as he stood straighter and readjusted his waistcoat. "That _thing_, as you so aptly described him, is a being that is far beyond your comprehension or understanding. It would be a wise move for you to forget this all and run back home."

"Well, you see, I'd love to do just that," she returned sarcastically. "But there is one thing stopping me from doing that, what was it again…" The young woman paused and tapped her chin a moment to think, taking great pride in the impatience and fluster that was beginning to bleed through the king's mask. "Oh, yes!" she exclaimed, snapping her fingers in emphasis. "I don't know how!"

"That would appear to be your problem, not mine," he said coolly as he turned on his heels and began to make his way back into the city.

"Where are you going?" she called after him.

"My city was just attacked, was it not?" he asked over his shoulder.

"Yeah," she yelled back.

"Well," he drawled, turning on his heel to face her, an eyebrow quirked, "as its king, would it not be my duty to see what damage has been done?"

Leaving her with that question, he turned, his hands clasped behind his back—riding crop tightly gripped—and walked down the street.


	7. City Inspection

**Hello, readers! I finally found some spare time to write. Three more weeks left! But, those weeks will be filled with AP tests and finals. Fun. And, I need to try and get a job. But, I will do my best to write as quickly as possible while still giving you something good. **

**Please leave a reivew with what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Labyrinth'**

* * *

**City Inspection**

Her emerald eyes stared at his retreating form. Biting her lip, she gazed over her shoulder at the castle and a shadow flickered out the corner of her eye. Letting out a yelp in surprise, she shamelessly ran to Jareth, her heart hammering in fear and her legs pumping for speed. As she ran down the downhill sloped street, her speed increased into one she felt herself unable to control. Sarah flailed about in attempted to slow and stop before reaching the impending king, but her efforts were fruitless. The chestnut haired woman collided with his lithe form.

His slender form held surprisingly still at her unexpected collision with him. His shoulders grew taunted, and the green eyed woman hastily stepped back as he turned to face her, his mismatched eyes blazing darkly.

"Oops," she attempted with a shrug of her shoulders and a tight smile.

He took in a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut. "I would inquire as to what you are doing but I am afraid of the answer," the king stated tersely.

"I'm coming with you," Sarah pushed forward unbidden.

"Yes," he sighed as he put his hand down and made his way down the street again. "I feared as much."

"I could help!" She called after him.

"And why would I desire such a thing?" he responded with ease.

The brunette huffed and pumped her legs to catch up with his long strides. When she finally arrived at his shoulder, she blew a stray, dark strand of hair from her eye and demanded, "What's that supposed to mean?"

The Goblin King turned on his heel suddenly and spun to face her. His nose gently brushed against her as he stooped to look into her eyes. His warmth breath fluttered over her face as he said in hushed tones, "You just nearly got yourself killed. What could such a gentle and fragile thing do to aid me in caring for my crumbling city?" He punctuated his question with a cocked eyebrow.

Sarah spluttered; her mouth opening and closing rapidly, like a fish out of water, sound refusing to come. Her body seemed to shut down at his close proximity. His thin lips curled over his white teeth at her lack of response, and as quickly as he had appeared, he was making his way down the street again. The brown haired woman was left staring after him, her emerald eyes following each movement and twitch of his body. She was unsure how to feel about what had just happened. He had just insulted her: that she was sure of. But, the way he said it. There was something playful, something challenging. And she was never one to back away from a challenge.

As she firmly set her resolve to best this challenge, even if she was unsure of its existence, Sarah pulled herself taller and began walking after the king, keeping her distance so as not to alert him of her presence. Her sparkling eyes followed each subtle movement of the Goblin King that walked before her. She watched with interested as his brows knitted, darkening and hallowing his eyes giving him a tired and haggard appearance, as he observed each minute piece of destruction of his city or the twitch at the corner of his mouth as some goblin stopped him and he cocked his head to listen to them before giving a curt word and pushing them on their way. Sarah followed him for some time observing these actions, never growing bored.

Suddenly, the lithe king dipped to his knees to speak to an undistinguishable bundle on top of a decaying crate. Lines stretched across his flawless skin as the bundle began to wail pathetically. Sarah shuffled forward, remaining in the shadows out of view, in hopes of hearing what was being said.

"Mitzy no know where Mummy is!" the bundle wailed.

The king raised a gloved hand and pushed back the blanket that covered the head of a young, bucktoothed goblin with large tears glistening in dark eyes. "Hmm," the king remarked callously, "that would be quite a problem, wouldn't it?"

The young goblin hiccupped and nodded its head rapidly.

The blond haired man let out a sigh and brought a black hand to his chin. He tilted his head and squinted his eyes as if struggling to remember something. "Oh dear," he said his eyes wide in realization as he turned back to the tearstained goblin before him. "I'll have to get you back to the castle, won't I?" The king let out a long sigh as he stood up. "But how to get you there is the question. You'd be such a burden to me. Perhaps," he exclaimed with a turn, his eyes catching Sarah's, "this young lady would be more than willing to carry you since she insists on helping."

The brunette narrowed her green eyes at the man before her. He simply smirked in return and gestured for her to join him. She stomped over to his shoulder and hissed up at him under her breath, "You bastard. You knew I was there the whole time, didn't you?"

The Goblin King simply tsked and shook his head in disappointment. "Sarah dear, please, you are in the presence of a child," he reprimanded her with a smirk. "If you would be so generous as to refrain from such language."

His comment elicited a growl from Sarah that she was unaware she could make and a bubble of laughter from the young goblin. Emerald eyes turned to the young goblin who desperately clutched a straw doll to her chest. Now that she was closer, Sarah could see that the young goblin was indeed a young girl. As she gazed on the young child, her eyes softened the slightest bit.

The tall man next to her let out a deep throated laugh. "Come now, Sarah, do you really think that I hadn't noticed you. You underestimate me. This is my Labyrinth and my city after all."

Emerald eyes hardened as they turned to meet mismatched ones. Her silent anger only caused more mirth to bubble from the Goblin King's thin lips. After a moment, he regained his composure. He straightened his vest and jutted his chin towards the young goblin. "You wanted to help. Carry her. Take her to the castle now or follow me until I make my way back, whichever you prefer. The former would be easiest on you."

The brunette turned from the mocking man before her and picked up the young goblin and nestled her on a hip, supported in the crook of her arm. Turning back to the king, she said, "The latter will suit me just fine."

"As you wish," he said curtly as he clamped his riding crop once again in his hands behind his back and continued his patrol of the city.

* * *

By the time the small party had reached the wall of the city, Sarah was regretting her choice of following the Goblin King, but she would be damned to show it. She would prove that she could do this. Tossing her hair over her shoulder and readjusting the goblin higher on her hip, she continued keeping pace behind the lithe man.

The king in question had hardly broken stride since the incident which had profited in the young goblin. He had kept his pace steady as his eyes roved over his city, taking in each sight, each crack, each missing subject, muttering under his breath as he went. On a rare occasion he would stop to speak with a goblin; however, he didn't stoop to listen to them as he did with the young one.

As the Goblin King stepped in front of the gate, the brunette let out a breath of air. _Finally._ "Shall we start heading back now?" she questioned, walking up to him.

His distant eyes took a moment to refocus before glancing down at her. "On the contrary, my dear Sarah, I have a couple homes I wish to visit first. I also believe it to be in the city's best interest to inspect the wall," he replied in all seriousness. "However," he continued with a smirk, "if you are growing weary, you are more than free to make your way back."

Sarah huffed. "I'll stick with you," she shot back without thought.

The king gave a light chuckle before turning down a side street. Just as the young woman began to follow after him, a large voice boomed in high-pitched hysterics, "Mitzy!"

The brunette struggle to ensure the young goblin didn't fall backwards out of her arms onto the cobblestone. Instead, she fell forwards. The young goblin was quick to jump up and shuffle towards another goblin with a pooling eyes and a runny nose. The elder goblin enwrapped the younger in large arms and pressed her to her chest.

"Kingy found Mitzy! Thank you, Kingy!" The elder goblin cried in relief. As she began to hobble away, her eyes briefly fell on Sarah. "Thank you ,lady, for carrying Mitzy!"

As the two goblins disappeared down the street, the brunette stared after them, eyes-wide. For a moment, she couldn't understand that there wasn't supposed to be a weight balancing on her hip anymore.

A gloved hand rested on her shoulder and brought her from her pondering. "Shall I just leave you here, or do you wish to accompany me still?" a warmth breath purred in her ear.

The young woman jumped. "Y-yes," she stumbled out. "Sorry."

The king sighed. "Honestly, Sarah. What good will you do me like this?"

Sarah bit her lip, committed to not taking the bait he dangled tantalizingly in front of her. After a moment his warmth disappeared, and her green eyes hesitantly looked over her shoulder to see his slender form retreating down the street.

"Hey!" she yelled at his back as she ran after him.

He, however, showed no sign of recognition and continued to walk through a small doorway and off the street. The brunette reached the door just as the king stepped out once again. He tsked as he looked down at her. "You are much too slow. If you were to go to the castle now, I daresay that I'd still be there before you," he said with a quirked eyebrow before walking back down the street.

Before she followed him, her green eyes slipped a look into the house he had come out of. An elderly group of goblins sat inside being tended to by one younger. A basket in the center of the table was filled with several crystal balls. The younger grabbed one of the balls and squeezed it until the glass shattered and a plume of glitter dusted its hands. The young goblin proceeded to rub the glittering powder on the scraped and bruised exposed skin of an elder. The elder let out a content sigh. Tearing her eyes away from the curious scene that sent flutters to her stomach she could not identify, Sarah ran up to the Goblin King's side.

As she jogged to a stop, she inquired, "What was that about?"

"Ensuring the wellbeing of my eldest citizens," came his quick reply.

"Where to now?"

"Ensuring the wellbeing of my youngest citizens," he replied just as briskly.

"Why?" Sarah prodded.

The king let out a tired sigh, his eyes still never leaving the space in front of him. "They are my subjects, are they not?"

"Well, yes, but—"

"But nothing," he reprimanded her harshly. "I am their king for a reason, my dear Sarah. This is my job."

The brunette opened her mouth to speak, but a raised gloved hand stopped her. "No more. If I had known you would be this pesky, I would have never agreed to this."

"Agreed to what?"

"You helping," he explained tiredly.

"But, you never—" Sarah attempted before a steely looked briefly directed at her clamped her mouth shut. The brunette gave him this battle. But, she would win this war. Crossing her arms, she followed the king to the orphanage and the inspection of the outer wall. All the while, she was fighting with herself and in the end had to begrudgingly acknowledge the fact that she might have misjudged Jareth. _Might have_, she emphasized as the pair returned to castle. But, there was one thing she couldn't deny, however much she wanted. _Jareth, the Goblin King, is good with children_, she concluded.


	8. The History of Orgath

**Hello, readers! Thank you to those who are still with me! Sorry it took so long to update, but I had AP tests, finals and planning graduation. But, it's summer now and job searching is currently yielding nothing, so I have time to write. I am working on another fanfic and novel in addition to this, so though I will have more time to write, updates should take about a week or so. Again, thank you for being patient and sticking with me through this. I quite enjoy this chapter, and I hope you do, too!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Labyrinth'**

* * *

**The History of Orgath**

Sarah had no idea of where she was. Sure, she recognized the room, but know how to get out? No. She drew in a sharp breath and went up another flight of stairs. She heard a faint whistling above her. She dared a glance upward and saw a goblin with a basket of laundry walk over her. Upside down, completely defying gravity. Or was she the one upside down?

"Gah!" She let out a short scream before sitting down, dangling her feet off the edge. This place was impossible, illogical and she was never getting out. Allowing herself to be young, she hung her head in her hands and let a few tears of frustration gain passage down her face.

"Well," the drawn out, arrogant voice could only come from one person.

The brunette woman looked up to see the Goblin King standing before her. His stance proud, arrogant, and the way his pants—_Stop it, Sarah!_ She mentally reprimanded herself. She had been here far too long. Almost a week had passed since the attack, and here she was, still in this blasted world. With each passing day, she had grown more and more accustom to this dream world to the point of only occasionally seeing it as anything but reality. But, she missed home, she was worried about Toby, and the King of the Goblins was doing anything to make her miserable, of that fact she was certain.

"What have we here?" Jareth drawled out, breaking her from her reverie.

He sat back on his feet and placed a hand under her chin. He tsked as he wiped her tears away, shaking his head. "Young Sarah is shedding tears. Why, this must be serious." He gave her a smirk and roughly jerked his hand back. The Goblin King abruptly stood up and cleared his throat. "Now what seems to be dear Sarah's problem?"

Sarah had no desire to respond and admit to getting lost so she settled on glaring at him.

The corner of his mouth twitched as he said tauntingly, "Why, I believe I have angered dear, young Sarah. However can I amend this?"

The brunette stood and matched his passive gaze with her furious one. "You can get me out of this hell hole and leave me be."

He gave a slight bow of his head. "As you wish." He turned on his heel and walked to the bottom of the stairs while Sarah stood rooted to the spot. He paused and stated matter-of-factly over his shoulder, "If you so desire to leave this hell, you had best follow me."

"Are you finally going to show me the way out?" she demanded as she ran down the stairs after him.

"Dear Sarah, you know I have no control over such a matter," he responded as condescendingly as always.

"Then why aren't you letting me help?" she rebutted. After all this time, he still sat on his throne deep in conference with goblin generals too proud to allow her to join in. "I thought you agreed to it."

"I agreed to your help, yes. However, you didn't specify which form of help you were offering. Therefore, the help I allow you to give can suit whatever fancies me," he quipped, an eyebrow quirked.

An involuntary shiver coursed through the young woman as her mind drift to areas she was doing her best to avoid. The only problem was the man in front of her hardly accommodated to prevent such outlets for her imagination.

"Well," she tried diverting her mind and the topic, "why don't you tell me about who we're facing?"

"I'd hate to scare a precious and fragile thing such as yourself," he quietly responded in such a way that it could be taken with sincerity or insult. Sometimes his ambiguity drove her up the wall. Sarah was certain that she would never be able to understand the king who stood before her.

Silence descended on the two as the young woman entrusted herself to the lithe man to lead her out of the maze of stairs. After so many stairways that the green eyed woman had lost which direction was originally up, Jareth turned into a side corridor and led her along sandstone floors, the heels of his high boots clacking—punctuating the silence. The long passage was dimly lit by torches every six feet on either side of the hallway. At the end of the never ending tunnel, a large door carved of mahogany melted into view.

"This place needs to stop changing," the brunette whispered under her breath, exasperated.

"It only changes when you are unsure of yourself. My Labyrinth, my city, my castle all change to suit the person walking through them. If you are unsure of what you want, it will try to accommodate to that unsurity until you know. If you show confidence in what you want, it will match that with equal fervor. Don't be scared, walk with courage in your steps, and you shall not be led astray," he responded humbly.

"I'm not scared," Sarah bristled, immediately jumping to her defense.

Creases marred the corner of the king's eyes and his thin lips pulled down slightly. "Yes, I know," he said softly. He paused and lifted his hand towards the door. "Your room is there. I'm sure you can reach it from here?" he inquired with his characteristic smirk that she was slowly adapting too.

"Why don't you tell me?" she tried once more before she bid him adieu.

A tired, heartbreaking sigh passed Jareth's lips. "It's a complicated matter."

"I'm smart, you know," she promptly answered.

"I have no doubts," he said, his lips twitching. "But, this is very complicated."

The brunette crossed her arms over her chest, her lips set in a firm line. "Try me."

With a sigh, Jareth supplied, "He goes by the name of Orgath."

"Yes, I know that already."

"He is a king of darkness, of shadows," he continued on unwillingly, "of restriction, and he is slowly sucking the life from my Labyrinth."

"And thereby sucking life from you?" Sarah prompted, curious.

The king pinched the bridge of his nose. "Shall we discuss this somewhere more private?"

"Sure," she replied. She turned and began to make her way to her room. A thought struck her and she turned back, grabbed the king's wrist and dragged him behind her.

"Sarah, what are you doing?" he demanded.

"You're not getting out of it this time, pretty boy," she briskly replied as she pushed her door open and steered him inside. The door shut behind her with a clang, caging the two figures together.

Placing her hands on her hips, Sarah jutted her chin towards a high back, fabric chair set next to a large open fireplace that lay barren and cold. "Since you are my guest, please, take a seat."

Straightening his vest with a roll of his eyes, he stalked towards the chair and past it. He stooped in front of the fire and sat back on his heels. Sarah watched in fascination as he held a gloved hand up and, with a practice flick, created a clear crystal that danced over his long fingers. Casually he let it fall from his grip, and it shattered amongst the lifeless logs. Green eyes widened as tendrils of flame sprung from the shatter crystal and wrapped around the logs, coaxing and petting them lovingly. Soon the wood gave in to the embrace and it flared to life, sending a glow of warmth across Sarah's room.

The Goblin King dusted his hands off over the fire and stood up again to his full height. He clasped his hands behind his back and turned around to face her. "My apologies for the cold fire," he said elegantly. "I know too well how chilled the nights here can be. I'll inform the goblins to keep an eye on it."

"Thank you," Sarah stumbled out in response. A light blush flowered across her cheeks as she recalled the vehement words directed at the man in front of her she had muttered earlier that morning when she had awoken in the middle of the night yet again with numb toes and fingers from the biting cold. She ducked her face in hopes of him not seeing it.

"Do you still wish to learn of Orgath?" he asked, a smile playing across his thin lips which diminished any hope that he hadn't seen the coloring of her face.

"Yes," she responded promptly in attempt to steer attention away from her reddening cheeks.

He gave a curt nod and gestured towards the chair at his feet. Sarah shook her head in response. "I already said you sit. You're the guest."

A hard glint flashed in his eyes as he stalked over towards the brunette. She wished to shrink away from his imposing form, but pride demanded it otherwise. He never paused in his journey until his body barely brushed against hers. He titled his head downwards to her, as if reprimanding a young child. "Sarah," he warned, "this is my castle, and I will refuse to sit when a lady is present without a chair. Now," he smirked, stepping back and offering her his arm, "will you allow me the honor?"

Pursing her lips, the green eyed woman laid a hand on his outstretched arm and allowed herself to be escorted to the chair. Plopping down with an undignified huff, she pulled her legs up and rested her chin on top of her knees. _I'll show you a lady._

Jareth simply smirked at her antics, seemingly amused by her childish behavior. He clasped his hands behind his back and stepped over to the fire. For a moment, his mismatched eyes gazed into the depths of the blaze, the fire casting his now saddened face in a gentle shadow.

Just as the young woman was about to interrupt, the Goblin King opened his mouth and began his story, his eyes never turning to Sarah.

"I would start at the beginning, but I'm sure you know it already. I hardly need to recount your own adventures to you," he started with a sigh.

"On my side during that time, all that is sufficient for you to know is that I placed much of my power in preventing you from reaching the center. You were persistent and knew what you wanted; my Labyrinth was letting you through."

"Just like you said earlier?" Sarah interrupted.

A small smile tugged at the corner of the king's lips. "Yes," he responded and clearing his throat, continued with his tale. "I was not use to such a presence in the Labyrinth, and I panicked. I threw every trick I could at you in attempt to stop your journey, not heeding the amount of energy I was using. I was accustomed to those entering never making it through. Never before had I needed to intervene to slow a Runner."

Taking a deep breath, he delved back in, "Your persistence interested me. On that point I cannot deny. I wished to keep that here. It is a well desired trait amongst my people. I was confident that you would accept my offer. Why wouldn't you? You had such an imagination, and one that was so enthralled by my kingdom. However, I underestimated you.

Your refusal shook me. It scared me. But, above all, it angered me. I was already weakened, and—"

"My refusal was the final blow, and you went into a depression," the brunette recited from what she had been told.

A sad smile pulled at his features. "If only it was that simply, my dear Sarah," he whispered before falling into silence.

Nervously the woman shifted her position in the chair until she sat Indian style. She desperately wanted him to continue, but the look that glazed over his eyes froze her voice in her throat. Several minutes passed in silence, and the brunette began to feel the weight of sadness in the air.

A shuttering breath shook the Goblin King's proud frame and his story continued. "Do you remember the room where we met last before I sent you home?" he asked.

"Yes," came her soft response.

"That room is one of binding—and of separation. Its true name has long been lost to time, and the magic it holds is beyond the knowledge of anyone living in the Underground."

"But, I thought that you created this place and the Labyrinth?"

"The Labyrinth, yes. My Labyrinth is an extension of my being which I created to protect the city for the goblins which I had help build. But this castle, this castle was standing long before I was ever born. True, I've aided in its upkeep and added on to it, but the heart of this castle isn't mine nor is it any I know.

But, as I was saying, the room is a place of binding and separation. I had brought you there in hopes of binding you to the Labyrinth and the Underground and separating you from the Aboveground, but you refused me. You left, and I was distraught. My being couldn't decide whether to mourn your loss and hope for a better time or to be angry at your insolence and demand revenge. The room sensed the split in my heart, my torn feelings. I am sure that the room never intended to cause harm, just to simply end my torment."

"Jareth, what did it do?" Sarah asked, an unconscious fear begin to bloom within her chest at the words that lay unspoken.

"It split me," he said coolly.

The young woman felt her breath seize in her throat at the anticipated answer. She wished to offer words of comfort, but her voice lay lodged in her throat.

"He was my strength, my anger. He was my desire for revenge, my passion. We are very much the same person. I am just the more pathetic version," the broken king finished.

"I don't think so," Sarah said, finally finding her voice.

Jareth's eyes finally turned towards her, confusion glazing over the mismatched irises.

Standing up she walked over to his side and gazed into the fire. "Ever heard of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?" she asked.

"In passing," came his brief response.

Feeling his eyes on her, she swallowed and took a deep breath. "Essentially, they were the same person, one possessed goodness and the other innate badness. What you said reminds me of it."

"Sarah," he sighed, "I don't see how—"

"You said you were the pathetic version, but maybe you're just the one possessed with goodness. That doesn't make you pathetic."

A small sigh passed his lips. "Thank you, Sarah."

A moment of silence fell between the two as they gazed at the orange flames as they fiercely kissed the dying logs. It was a destructive relationship, but neither party seemed to mind.

After some time, Sarah cleared her throat and asked, "You said that the Labyrinth is an extension of your being, does that mean it is an extension of Orgath's as well?"

"That is what I fear. It would be the only explanation of how easily he navigates its passages, and how he is attached enough to drain its life."

Something in Jareth's words struck a chord in her as she recalled Sir Didymus's story earlier in her visit. "Sir Didymus said that you didn't paid him any attention. That he wasn't causing trouble and you just ignored him," Sarah blurted out, accusation and inquiry cloaking her words. "You had to of known what he was like, what he would do." Her green eyes blazed as the turned to the lithe man next to her.

The king sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Not a complete lie. I didn't acknowledge his presence publicly until he was causing damage. I didn't have strength to engage him that early on when my subjects were still relatively safe."

"But you knew this could happen!"

"Yes, but I didn't have strength to deal with him. If you hadn't realized already, I was at half of my already weakened power. His power equaled mine, so it wasn't strong either. I made a decision, Sarah. As a ruler that is what I have to do: decide what battles are worth my strength. It wasn't, not at the time. I was hoping that my strength would return quicker than his. As you can see, I was wrong in that hope. "

The brunette nodded understandingly at his explanation. _A ruler has to make tough choices. How many hard decisions has he had to make throughout his reign? _ she questioned. "You said he was a king of restriction, how so?" she asked gently.

"When decisions are made from anger and hatred, what kind of life can be lived but one of restriction?" he asked pointedly.

"If he's taking life from the Labyrinth, isn't he taking life from you?"

A sad smile stretching his thin lips was to only answer she needed.

"Your subjects call him a demon openly. Aren't they, by extension, calling you a demon? Doesn't it bother you?"

"Would deny the description from your experiences with me?" he questioned back with his signature smirk and quirked eyebrow.

The young woman groaned as yet again a light blush blossomed across her cheeks.

The deep throated chuckle from the man she stood next to assured her that he had seen this one as well. "I believe that is enough questions for now, dear Sarah. Night is fast approaching and you have exhausted me yet again. I shall bid you farewell until next time." With a slight bow from the waist, he turned on his heels and made his way to the door.

"One more question, please?" she asked to his back.

He turned and glanced over his shoulder, an eyebrow arched.

Taking this as an invitation, she questioned, "Why is he called Orgath?"

"It was his name," was the simply reply.

"But, didn't someone have to name him? He was born. I mean, I know he's you, but he's still—"

"We are not given names, Sarah. We are born with names. Have you ever heard of parents who had a name set for their child, but once it was born, that name was thrown out for a different one that seemed to 'fit'?"

"Yes."

"That is how my people are. A name is not chosen; the child comes with its own. He came as but a child and that was his name. Good night, Sarah."

His gloved hand reached for the handle, and he pulled the door open. Just before his back fully disappeared from view, Sarah whispered her own good night. The slight pause in his step assured her that he had heard her words.


	9. Whispers in the Night

**Hello, readers! Next chapter. Please let me know what you think, even if you think it sucks. I assure you, I'm probably harder on my writing than you can be. Besides, I love hearing from you!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Labyrinth'**

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**Whispers in the Night**

As the door closed with a _click_ behind the Goblin King, green eyes spied the elongating shadows that spread across the floor of her room. They shifted out to the open window and observed the darkening sky. Pale, weak lights began to flicker into existence. A long yawn stretched the young woman's mouth as she raised her arms above her head. _Sleep, _she concluded_, definitely sounds appealing_.

Lowering her arms and pulling out the elastic band that held her hair back, Sarah ran her fingers through her long locks, massaging her sore scalp. She slipped the band around her wrist and padded across the room to the dresser on the other side. Opening it, she frowned—as was custom—at the gaudy dresses that adorned the inside. Quickly finding the one thing she need, she pulled out the thin, feather light nightgown and shut the door.

Jareth had been right about the chilly nights and this thin slip of fabric hardly helped. Sure she had a robe draped over her bed made from a thicker material, but it certainly did not aid in keeping heat near the body. Her green eyes flickered over to the blazing fire and a smile of thanks curled her lips. She walked to her bed and laid the night dress on it. Gingerly, she sat on the edge of the bed and began untying her shoes.

She wasn't one to except gifts, but she had decided that it would be better to sleep in something different from what she wore during the day. She also had to marvel and give thanks for the fact that someone came and washed her clothes, laying them out fresh on her bed each morning. However, she never saw a goblin enter or leave her room, never heard one in her presence while she was in here. Her room would be cleaned, a bed made, the water basin filled and food brought and cleaned away, but a soul would never present itself. Sarah briefly wondered if that fact stemmed from an order from Jareth.

Smiling lightly, she slipped off her shoes and socks and stood up. Grasping the hem of her shirt, she pulled it off and tossed it over the footboard. Next, she unbuttoned her jeans and peeled them from her legs; they soon landed next to her shirt. She reached out a hand and let it slid along the smooth material of the nightgown. Just as she was about to put it on, a thought struck. Out of fear of getting it back, she hadn't yet removed her bra to be washed. Realizing it needed to be cleaned and now trusting that it would be returned safely, she reached behind her and undid the clasp, and soon, it, too, landed next to her other clothes.

She shivered lightly as goosebumps flowered up her legs and arms and across her stomach. Reaching out, she snatched the nightgown from the bed and slipped it over her head. The thin material fell softly around her hips and shoulders and cascaded off the swell of her bosom until it lightly brushed her skin mid-calf. With smile at her accentuated features, she pulled the covers down and slipped underneath them. She pulled the smooth sheets over her shoulders and up under her chin. Curling on her side, she shut her eyes and began to slow her breathing, her mind replaying all the words Jareth had spoken to her.

Her settling mind was sprung alert by a rush of wind underneath wings. Jolting up in bed, her eyes scanned her room. Her heart slowing in relief until her eyes fell on a tall figure leaning against the window. Its beating seized as the figure pooled out from the shadows as if it was one of them.

"W-who are you?" Sarah stumbled out, cursing the terrified tone in her voice.

A hard laugh filled the room. "Do you really not remember me?" came a sorrowful voice. "You wound me."

The young woman's fingers clenched around the sheets the covered her lower body. _God, no, please,_ she prayed, hoping against reason that it wasn't who she feared the moment the figure burned into her eyes.

A sigh pierced the silence. "Since you seem to have forgotten my face, I'd hate to refuse you the memory."

Green eyes widened as the figure stepped further away from the shadows and into the soft light of the fire. His eyes burned intently as they gazed towards her.

Opening her mouth to call for help, her voice immediately seized as a gloved, long-fingered hand clamped around her neck. Her small hands flew to it and attempted to pull the suffocating force away. Her attempts elicited a chuckle from Orgath as his grip tightened.

"Stop struggling. You might bruise that beautiful skin," he hissed as a finger from his free hand traced her arm.

Sarah's body fell limp, and the lips of the creature across from her twisted into a smile. Slowly, the hold on her throat loosened until he flung his hand away and she collapsed onto the bed.

Choking past the soreness, she spluttered out in full confidence, "Jareth's going to kill you for this."

"I'm not afraid of him. He can do nothing to me, and likewise, I nothing to him. For what is done to one is done to the other," he said with blazing eyes.

"Your dear king knows what needs to be done if he wants me gone," Orgath sneered, "but he's too afraid. He's too weak to do anything. "

The young woman pushed herself up to her knees and met his puncturing, mismatched gaze with her unfaltering one. "You underestimate him," she laughed. Taking a moment, she gathered the saliva in her mouth and sent it at his face.

With a soft splat, it met its mark. The creature's face contorted as he wiped the slime from his face. "You _bitch_," he hissed.

Sarah suddenly felt an iron grip on her wrists as she tumbled backwards onto her bed. Hot breath poured into her ear as a heavy weight settled over her body. "Do not underestimate _me_. Perhaps your king cares for virtue and charity, but I do _not."_

Searing lips scorched her neck. Gasping in pain, her body arched against the man on her; the thin nightgown allowing her to easily feel the contours of his body as he could probably hers. His mouth raked across the bare expanse of her chest above the neck of the gown. Silently she cursed as she felt her body betray her mental disgust as it arched into his touches; desire burning her blood as it pulsed through every vessel overpowering her.

Slowly, his hands loosened their grip and traced a chilling path down her arms and sides as he slowly sat up, straddling her hips. Letting out a harsh yell of protest, Sarah threw her upper body forward and pounded fiercely on his exposed chest.

Her relatively weak attempts created a small smirk on Orgath's face. With ease he snatched her hands in one of his as he tsk, his face drawing closer. His warm, intoxicating breath cascaded over her nose and lips as he whispered, "Come, Sarah. There's no need to fight me. Just_ give in_."

"No!" she cried in protest.

Her vehement declaration only broadened the smirk as he threw her hands to the side and wrapped his hands around her waist. The young woman's body stilled at the feel of his cool fingers on her fevered skin. Ever so slowly they began to push and massage the tender skin so easily accessible through the thin fabric. At an aching and tantalizingly lazy speed, his fingers migrated upwards, higher and higher, massaging every part of her as they went.

Sarah's brain went numb. She couldn't do anything. She couldn't move. She couldn't speak. Her eyes shifted downwards and watched as a darkness slowly inked from his fingers, staining her dress for a moment before seeping through to her skin. Fear assailed her heart and clenched her muscles. _So this is what it's like,_ she pondered. _Being conscious of the fact that you're going to be raped and every inch of your body betraying you_. The young woman shut her eyes and prepared herself, waiting eagerly for it to all be over.

A small moan escaped her lips as his fingers cupped her breasts. His thumbs lazily traced circles around the tender and sensitive flesh, and she truly began to regret her clothing choice. Sticky, warm breath pooled over her neck and brushed her ear as a dark voice whispered, "There you are, Sarah. Give in. Give in to the fear. Give in to the anger that follows. Embrace it, Sarah."

His lips seared the creamy skin of her jawline as he dragged them towards her mouth. She felt the scorching pieces of flesh hovering, nearly brushing against her own. A hot murmur brought them even closer as he said, "Virgin lips no more. Say good-bye."

Her entire body tightened in expectation but immediately loosened as a loud bang echoed through her room. Her green eyes flew open and arched towards her door where a familiar figure stood silhouetted. The intrusive fingers and heavy weight that pinned her body left, and she thankfully collapsed onto her bed.

"What did you do to her?" came a low, threateningly feral voice.

"Dear Jareth, such a killjoy. I was only having a little fun."

A strangled gasped filled the air. Sarah clambered up and made out the highlighted figure of Jareth's fingers curled around the neck of the shadowed figure of Orgath. She stumbled from the bed and reached out for the robe that hung from the post of the headboard. Quickly wrapping it around herself, she watched the ongoing scene transfixed.

"You will not lay a finger on her," the Goblin King hissed.

"And who's going to make me," the black creature choked out with a laugh. "You?"

His only response was a deep throated growl and tightened fingers on his neck.

"Careful there," he spat out, "I've got a fragile neck."

The young woman let out a muffled scream as she clamped her hands over her mouth. Her eyes widened as Orgath's form began to darken and pull together, shifting and stretching. In the blink of an eye, Jareth's fingers her curled around the neck of a crow.

The lithe man let out a cry as he tossed the bird across the room. It tumbled on the floor before righting itself. Its beady eyes trained on his opponent as it stretched out its wings and let a grating squawk pass its beak.

"If you wish battle in that form, I shall meet you on a level playfield," Jareth hissed as his own body pooled together and shifted, stretching into the form of a barn owl. With a piercing hoot, he flapped his wings and rushed at the crow.

The crow let out a squawk of laughter as it shot towards with window with the owl close on his tail.

The young woman tripped over her feet in her haste to make it to the window. Fumbling with the robe as she pulled it tighter around her body, she slid to a stop at the window. She braced herself and peered out into the night. Her eyes searched desperately for the two birds.

Small rays of moonlight aided her quested as she spot two winged forms struggling over the city. They crashed. They clawed. They separated only to dive into each other again. Heart wrenching cries were carried back on the wind to Sarah's ears.

Gnawing her lip with worry, the brunette sent out a silent prayer that Jareth would be alright. She'd hate to see him die because of her own stupidity. A small gasp fell from her lips as the white owl tumbled from the sky, its wings jostled back and forth on the wind.

The crow let out one more piercing squawk before flapping into the darkness. The owl barely managed to right itself before smashing into the tiled roofs of the Goblin City. With unsteady flaps, it slowly made its way back to the castle.

Ready to leave the window to meet Jareth at the gate, Sarah watched in wide-eyed surprise as the owl struggled upwards towards her window. Quickly stepping out of its way, the bloodied owl fell through the window and collapsed on the floor. After a few attempts, the bird managed to right itself and soon Jareth stood before her. His clothes barely hung on to his quivering frame. It appeared the only thing keeping the shreds of fabric on his body was the blood that dripped from multiple gashes and glued the fabric to his pale skin.

"Oh, God," Sarah stumbled out as she rushed to him. Her hands scavenge his body as she peeled back his clothes to reveal the mars on his skin. "Y-you've got to get these cleaned before—"

His gloved hands seized her as he pulled her from him. "Nonsense. These are nothing. They will be healed before the night is over. Are you alright?" he asked, his mismatched eyes searching her.

Sarah nodded. "Yeah. Just a little scared."

A sigh of relief passed the king's thin lips. "Good. Come with me. You're staying in my room from now on."

"Excuse me? I don't think—"

"After tonight, I will not have it any other way. I assure you that will not attempt to take advantage of you as Orgath," Jareth said firmly.

Green eyes met his and searched desperately and found nothing but honesty and sincerity. Nodding softly, she pulled her hands from his and wrapped his arm over her shoulders. "Then let me help you back," she reasoned.

His lips twitched upwards as he nodded. "Sounds acceptable."


	10. Healing Wounds

**Hey, readers! Next chapter here for you. I want to say thanks for all the follows, favorites and reviews I've gotten. Please leave a review with what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Labyrinth'**

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**Healing Wounds**

The door shut softly behind the two forms trembling with exertion. The taller of the two stepped away and collapsed into a nearby chair. The shorter pulled back her brunette hair as her green eyes search the new room for the water pitcher. A brief scan yielded the desired object, its basin and a cloth on the other side of the room. Quickly, she jogged over to the two. Tossing the cloth over her shoulder, she snatched the pitcher and basin, one in each hand, and made her way back to the slumped figure.

Sarah knelt down at the feet of the Goblin King and set the bowl next to her legs. Carefully she poured the water from the pitcher into the shallow basin. Once it was filled, she placed the pitcher on the ground and grabbed the cloth. She pushed the sleeves of her robe up to her elbows and dunked the fabric into the water.

Ringing out the soaked cloth, her eyes turned to the lithe man before her as she let out a deep breath. "Where to start?" she questioned quietly to herself as she scanned over the gashes that marred his pale skin.

"Sarah, this is not necessary. I will heal."

"Oh, shut up!" Sarah exclaimed in exasperation. "This is my fault. Let me help you."

Sighing, the king resigned to her care and leaned back into the soft chair.

Nodding in satisfaction, the brunette placed the rag on the deepest gash that tore into the muscles of his abdomen. The man under her care hissed in discomfort, and she flinched. "I'm sorry," she apologized for more than just the brief flare of pain as she removed the cloth and placed in a different spot.

"You have no reason to say such words," he hissed through clenched teeth. "I wasn't cautious and allowed him to slip through my defenses."

Biting her lip against the prickling in her eyes, she returned the blood soak cloth to the water and watched as the red seeped out and dyed the clear liquid. After squeezing the excess liquid from it, she brought once again to the gash, grimacing at its severity.

"Do you have a healer?" she asked. "This looks really bad. I don't think this can heal properly—"

Her voice cut off as a cool, leathered hand wrapped around her fingers. Her eyes shifted upwards to meet the mismatched gaze of the Goblin King. A soft smile pulled at the corner of his thin lips as he said, "I'm fine, Sarah. You're doing too much. In the morning you won't be able to tell that I looked like this."

"But, what about infection?"

Jareth simply chuckled at her question. He released her hand and allowed her to clean his wounds until she was content: his muscles stretched taunt at her touches.

Sighing once she was done, she tossed the cloth into the water and raised her arms above her head popping her back. Her eyes turned regretful as she dried her hands on the robe that wrapped around her. Suddenly, she felt a tightness in her jaw as she fought off an upcoming yawn, but she lost terribly.

"Get some rest, Sarah," she heard whispered gently.

Looking up, she frowned. "What about you?"

"I'm fine. You need your sleep. I assure you that you will rest peacefully in my bed."

"But earlier you were saying—" Sarah began.

"Sarah," Jareth responded tersely, "listen to me: I have no intention of sleeping. Now go lay down," he ordered.

She pursed her lips as she stood up and grabbed the pitcher and bowl of bloody water. She set them down in their original place and made her way to the bed. Her fingers went to strip away the dirtied robe but stopped short as her mind flew to her state of undress underneath.

Seeing her predicament, the king huffed and shut his eyes. "You better hurry if you wish to discard the robe before you get in bed."

Smiling at his gesture, she slipped the robe from her arms and the thin nightgown. Tossing it over the headboard, she hurriedly pulled back the covers and slipped underneath them. Pulling them up around her, she said, "Alright."

The king opened his eyes and the brunette marveled at how they reflected the moonlight pouring through the open window above her head. Silence fell between the two figures, but a question sat in the forefront of Sarah's mind and refused her sleep. Witnessing her restless form, Jareth inquired, "What's wrong?"

Turning her wandering eyes to the king, she blurted out, "Orgath said that what is done to one is done to the other. That's why you can't kill him. But, he's draining your life. Why isn't his life being drained?"

Jareth sighed as he tossed a leg casually over the arm of his chair, wincing briefly at the flare in pain. His gloved fingers tapped a steady rhythm on his leg as he began. "Killing destroys the life, its energy. The act of killing is equal to proclaiming a person's essence was never in existence. Since our essences are one, destroy one would lead to the destruction of the other."

The king paused, his eyebrows furrowed in pensive thought before he continued. "By draining my life, he is absorbing the essence I possess into himself. The essence remains, capture inside him, but my being is no longer in existence. I will be lost in him. I may come out as a pesky thought in his mind, a rare moment of sympathy, but he is strong and would easily lock me away."

Sarah paused and took a deep breath before she asked the question that sat on her heart. "He also said that you were a coward, too scared to do what needed to be done to get rid of him. Was he talking about you absorbing him instead?"

Jareth's form flinched as he heard the name coward fall from her lips, but his face remained impassive. "Yes," he answered silently. "He is so much stronger than me that I fear if I attempted to absorb him I wouldn't be able to destroy his consciousness. He may remain; an equal personality stuck inside me. Or, he may very well simply overpower my will and take over this body. If that were to happen, where would that put my kingdom? I shudder at the thought of what would happen if I wasn't here.

"By not doing so, I assure myself that I will be conscious, that I will be here to protect them," he concluded sadly.

"But," she urged him, "You will still lose that way if he absorbs you. You're still gone if you don't fight. He's slowly destroying you and your kingdom will be next. At least the other way, there's a chance of your survival."

"No," he said firmly. "I will not risk it. Perhaps one day my strength will be able to withstands his—"

"But, he's draining you! He can still—" Sarah interrupted with passion until she herself was cut off.

"This isn't a topic under discussion," he snapped, his quiet voice firm and deadly. "I have made my decision, and I'm not risking anything. I would rather my kingdom be without a king than to have him on the throne. I will hope for the best and do all I can do."

The brunette bit her lip as she looked at the king. He was going to die. He was going to let himself be destroyed under the false hope that something better would happen. Blinking through the mist covering her eyes, she lay down and pulled the covers around her. "Orgath was right. You're a coward," she mumbled into the pillow, taking grim satisfaction at the pain that crossed his face at her words before she closed her eyes.

* * *

Warm sunlight penetrated through the thin veil of skin that covered her eyes. Groaning, Sarah threw her hands to her face and viciously rubbed her eyes as she sat up, the sheets falling and pooling around her waist. As her hands fell away, the green orbs landed on the chair across from her: its seat now vacant of the Goblin King's form.

A soft creak alerted her ears as the door opened and the man in questioned stepped in, his outfit new and spotless, his skin free from any disfigurement. The door shut behind him as he turned to face her.

"Good morning, Sarah," he greeted her, his eyes shifting away at spying the state of her undress.

A fevered blush colored to her cheeks as her eyes move downwards and witnessed what was exposed through the thin material and highlighted by the sunlight filtering in behind her. She hurriedly snatched the sheets and wrapped them around her upper body.

The king cleared his throat and proceeded, "I shall have a goblin bring you your clothes. Once you are dressed, I requested your presence in the throne room. You will join in the discussions today."

Excitement bubbled in Sarah as she jumped from the bed, sheets and clothing forgotten, as a smile stretched across her face. "You mean I get to help?" she asked cheerily.

Surprised by her reaction, Jareth's eyes shifted back towards her. A pale rose blush flowered across his cheeks as his gaze briefly wandered her body before shifting away. "Yes. I shall leave you now. I ask for your haste," he parted with as he left the room.

The wide smile refused to reduce off the brunette's face as she fell back on the bed with a laugh. _I'm finally getting to help. We can figure out something. We can destroy Orgath. And then I can get home! I can see Toby,_ Sarah thought in a delighted rush. Despite her strong desire to make it back home, a small portion of her heart sank at the prospect of leaving the city and the Labyrinth. Her heart had stubbornly grown fond of the city—and of its king.

Biting her lip, the young woman furiously shook her head in attempt to dislodge the thoughts and emotions building up inside. She couldn't let herself follow that path. It wouldn't work. It would all end in heartache and pain. But, silently she believed that a brief moment of happiness with him would make up for the pain that would inevitable come.

"One problem with that," she reprimanded herself as she sat up, "who knows how that blasted king feels about anything? He'd pine after the Labyrinth before me."

Her head swiveled to the door as it creak open and a homely goblin walked in. The elderly goblin bustled over to the bed and laid the clothes in her arms down on the bed with a loving pat. Sarah smiled as she spied her bra amongst the fabrics.

"Thank you," the young woman said as the goblin began her journey back to the door.

She flinched at Sarah's words and turned around, mud eyes wide. "No need to thank, missus. Kingy order it. Lila do it happily."

"Well, that may be, but I'm still going to say it. I've never managed to catch you before to say it earlier."

"Missus might be scared of Lila. Lila no want that. Lila hide."

"Don't worry," the brunette responded with warm eyes, "I'm not scared." Her green eyes fondly followed the goblin until she left the room.

_Yes,_ Sarah thought,_ I am going to miss it here._


	11. Negotiations

**Hello, readers! Next chapter here. Please leave a review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Laybrinth'**

* * *

**Negotiations**

The Goblin King lounged on his chair in thoughtful silence amongst the ruckus of his goblins that played and yelled in the sun drenched throne room, and it was on this scene that Sarah walked in. The goblins gave her brief glances before turning back to pints of ale and chickens—things of much more interest. The king, however, remained pensive as his riding crop tapped in a steady rhythm against his booted foot.

The young woman blew a stray strand of brunette hair out of her eye and proceeded to navigate the maze of scattered subjects and chickens to the throne on the other side. She stopped a few feet short of the throne and stood and waited.

"After the occurrence last night," he began, his eyes still focused on the distance, "I see no better alternative than to increase the effort of returning you to the Aboveground. Or, at the very least see you safely secured away out of harm's way. I'm sure your friends would be willing to—"

"No way!" Sarah interrupted as she felt her anger building at his words. "I thought you were going to let me in the discussions to help plan, so that I could do something. I refuse to sit back waiting to be taken back while you might die in the process!"

"Barely a week ago the idea of leaving me to my demise would have suited you if it meant your safe return home."

The brunette flinched at the truth that struck her. "But, but," she floundered, "But! I still admitted that I might have to help you defeat Orgath to get home!"

"To get home," he repeated mercilessly. "Selfish offers by a selfish girl. A girl who could barely stand on her own as she flailed through her life in attempt of finding something right. So tell me," he asked as he stood and stepped close to her, his body brushing against hers as his neck craned down to look in her eyes, "why the sudden change of heart?"

The young woman felt her mouth go dry as she racked her brains for an answer. She didn't know.

"Precisely, dear Sarah. How could I accept help from someone who does not even know their true feelings? You would only be injured. I admire your dedication and desire, but those attributes will have you killed if I let you join me. This is not your war."

"Yes it is! I caused it!"

"No, Sarah, you did not. I did. I caused it based on my reactions to an answer you gave. This is a war against myself. I will not drag you any further than needed into it."

"But, you agreed to me helping you." She couldn't prevent the whine that escaped her lips as she fell back into her old routines.

A light smirk tugged at his lips as a cool glove hand lifted and gently stroked her cheek. "I assure you, dear Sarah, that having you safe is more help than you could imagine."

Sarah struck at his hand, shoving it away from her face as she struggled to calm her fluttering heart. She was angry, and she wouldn't let him dissuade her. "Maybe you think I'm content with thinking that's help, but I'm not a child anymore, Jareth."

"Yes, I am well aware of that fact."

"Good. Then you can understand that I am rejecting your idea as the most ridiculous thing that occurred in a moment of stupidity."

His thin lips pursed together until near nothing of their presence was shown. "Return to my room. This discussion has ended. Your friends will be here by the end of the day. Prepare yourself in any way you see fit."

"No," she said simply as she straightened her shoulders.

He took one more step, his body arching against hers. "Sarah," he warned.

She took a deep breath and turned on her heel. "This is not over," she stated as she made her way back to his room. He had promised her help; she _would _find a way to help that wasn't sitting around waiting for him to die.

* * *

Wiping the tears from her face, she stepped into his room and shut the door behind her. Closing her eyes, the young woman pressed her back firmly against it, relishing in the support.

"It seems as if Sarah has been crying. What could possible make such a precious thing cry? Surely it was not my weaker half?" came a familiar voice.

Green orbs shot open and darted to the chair that had been occupied with Jareth the night before but now held the black form of Orgath. She stumbled away from him, clutching onto the wall as fear began to drizzle into her heart.

"How did you get in here?" she choked out.

"Jareth cannot protect his castle from himself. He seems not to realize that to ban me from an area, he must also ban himself," came the even answer.

A question fell from the tip of her tongue as a realization began to pull together. "Are-are you also the Goblin King? I mean, since you're the same person—"

"What do you believe, precious?"

"You—you can't be but—you're still him. You are still king, and this is still your Labyrinth. At the edge, it wasn't just destruction—it was you. You giving the Labyrinth—"

"My personal touch," he finished. "Yes. I have suffered on the edge of my Labyrinth for too long. I now wish to reclaim it all, and my prize."

"Your—your prize?" Sarah squeaked out.

"Yes. You my dear. I will have you whether it be once this Labyrinth falls to me—which it will, have no doubt in that fact—and I snatch you from the dissipating form of Jareth or whether it be right here and now, you perfectly willing."

"I will never go to you willingly."

"You would go to Jareth willingly. Are we not the same?" he inquired.

"No, you may be two sides of the same coin, but that does not make you the same," she countered.

"Alright," he smiled, his white teeth flashing amongst the shadows. "How about a compromise? Just let me rule you, and I will seize my reclamation of my Labyrinth. And as an added incentive," he trailed off as he snapped his fingers.

A moan of pain and fear pushed from Sarah's lips as her body erupted into chills of terror. Her panicked eyes shifted from the sneering face of Orgath to herself. The skin she could see was swirling black. The dark tendrils inked across her flesh, drawing patterns that soon sunk back into her skin as the tendril passed. Her heart hammered against her ribcage as the utter fear encased her. Her body twisted and pulled in contortion as an aching pain stabbed at her. Her limbs weakened as the energy was slowly drained from them, and she crumpled to the floor.

"What," she panted out through clenched teeth, "what did you do to me?"

"It hurts doesn't it? The anger, the sadness, the betrayal." The shadowed figured slinked from the chair and knelt by her collapsed form. "I understand the loneliness that comes, and I can heal it."

Slick lips slid across hers and despite how much she longed to be disgusted, the touch soothed her heart. The fear slowly began to recede from her limbs until it collected into a dark—but manageable—puddle over her heart. A great rush of oxygen dove into her lungs as his lips left hers, and she sat up and stared at those eyes so familiar but vastly different.

"Shadows," he explained, coolly factual. "Yours and mine. Without my control of them they will freely flow through your bloodstream, and all that fear, all that anger," he began to hiss, "all that pain will slowly drive you insane until it will consume your life."

"Why?"

"I'm simply giving you a taste of what you put me through, precious."

A gloved hand snaked into her hair and twisted her head back. He pulled her to her feet with a yelp and dragged her to the mirror that sat near the washbasin and water pitcher. As they stopped in front of it, his other hand clutched onto the neck of her shirt and pulled it down to expose and inky blotch that swirled above her heart.

"It will not stay forever. Slowly, it will ease its way back into your bloodstream. By the end of thirteen hours, you will no longer be able to grasp the concept of happiness. But," he drawled, "if you accept my offer, it will stop, and your dear Jareth will get his Labyrinth which will please him and you. You will keep your sanity and remain Underground as you desire as well, and I will win my prize. We all end this game on happy terms."

His fingers curled tighter in her hair as he arched her neck further back until it rested on his shoulder. "You will have until those thirteen hours end to make your decision. Inform Jareth of it if you wish. Remember I offer this out of my generosity, but I can be cruel if you refuse to cooperate.

"I know how you desire to help. I know how he cruelly is refusing such a simple desire. I am offering you the chance in his stead."

His gloved hand released her shirt, and it slowly traced its way down to her hip.

"Thirteen hours," he whispered hotly into her ear before he disappeared into a cloak of blackness.

* * *

Sarah burst into the throne room, the large doors clanging open—the ringing sending dozens of goblins and chickens into a flurry. Her chest heaved as she searched for him. She spotted his lithe form draped casually over his chair as he spoke to three goblins, each adorned with various scrapes of metal and cloth.

"We must abandon the outer borders, Kingy," one grunted out. "We will be slaughtered if we continue. I suggest that we focus our forces on the city—"

"What about the inhabitants there? Will we just abandon them? I cannot agree to such action, Kingy," another one gargled.

The "Kingy" in questioned buried his head in a gloved hand as he rubbed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Jareth," she choked out.

Cold eyes glinted towards her. His leg swung from the arm rest as he sat up tall. The semi-circle of goblins stuttered to a close as they followed the gaze of their king.

"You shall address me with due respect, Sarah," he coolly said with an arched eyebrow.

The brunette gaped at him. _What the hell?_

As if reading her mind, he continued, "Even if you do not respect my opinions and care to dismiss my orders, you may at the very least respect my position."

She snapped her mouth shut and swallowed down the fear that was started to expand from her heart. "_Thirteen hours_,"rang in her head. Thirteen hours until it over took her. Controlling her panicked breathing, she said bitingly, "_Goblin King_, I came to inform you of a negotiation."

"I am not interested on arguing my order."

"No! I mean with Orgath."

"I believe I already informed you that you will not be dragged into this," he let out sternly.

"I already am!" she cried out as she clutched the neck of her shirt and pulled it down.

Mismatched eyes and goblin eyes darted to the side in refusal to look at her. "Please, Sarah, return your shirt to its proper place."

"Shit, Jareth, really? Forget your gentlemanly ideals and look at me!" she demanded.

Slowly his eyes turned to her and widen as they landed on the black stain on her creamy chest. A growl rose in his chest as he turned away from her. "Further proof of why I can't let you aid me," he said without looking at her. "Please, Sarah, return to my room and allow me to take care of things."

Sarah huffed, tears pricking her eyes. "Goddammit, Jareth! Forget your damn pride for two seconds! Perhaps you think you're doing the noble thing, but you're making yourself a scared coward! I can help! I _need _to help!"

"I am not the only one who needs to recheck my pride."

Letting the comment roll off her and ignoring the flicker of truth, she yelled as a last resort, "You're going to get both of us killed! Oh wait—no—you'll get absorbed and become at best a pesky _thought_ in someone's subconscious while _I_ will die—or maybe mercifully just go insane. You'll finally get that revenge now, huh?"

"Sarah!" he roared as his spun to face her, his eyes burning . "I will _not_ allow you to die here. Now, please," he said in a shattered voice, "return to my room."

"But I…" she choked out as her vision began to swim.

"Not now. If you are willing to be negotiable, I will speak with you later. Please, leave me with my generals."

The brunette bit her lip as she dashed from the room, fighting off the tears that streamed from her eyes and burned trails down her cheeks. There wouldn't be a later. She had made her decision. Maybe she was doing it out of spite. Maybe she was being proud. Maybe she was trying to be the hero. But he had done so much, and she had an opportunity to help him—and save herself. Maybe it was a selfish decision, but she had made it. _I just wish I could have shared it with him_, she thought as she burst through the door into his room. There was no point in wasting time.


	12. Decisions to be Made

**Hello, readers! Next chapter is here! **

**Wow, I'm almost at 40 followers and reviews and over 20 favorites for this. Gosh. Thanks! However, I haven't heard from some of you yet ,and I would really like to get at least one review from each of you before this story ends so that I can hear what you liked about this and what I need to improve on.**

**On that note, there are three more chapters after this one. I can't believe it's almost over. I'm going to miss working with this.**

**As always, I hope you enjoy, and please leave a review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Labyrinth'**

* * *

**Decisions Made**

She had learned quickly not to try and run away. She had learned quickly not to speak out of turn or against him. Because if she did—if she did the shadows overtook her and she was thrust into agony for however long he pleased.

For however long he pleased.

His pleasure.

That's what was important and that was what she had to uphold. She had come to fear invoking anything else in him.

With a repressed sigh, she shifted in an attempted to stretch her sore muscles. Cold metal clanked against hard stone as it kept a firm grasp around her ankle. She flinched as it rubbed against the torn and bloodied skin. Biting her lip, she drew her leg up to her chest and examined the tender flesh in the dim light. She pressed her fingers to it gently, recoiling at the sticky dampness.

Taking a deep breath, she wiped the coagulating blood off on her soiled remains of her torn jeans before returning the cuff. She wrapped her stiff fingers around it, struggling for a firm grip, and lifted it away from her foot. With a sigh of pleasure, she rolled her ankle taking pleasure in the fact that the ability was still within her capability despite the excruciating pain it caused her. As the seconds ticked by, her fingers grew stiffer until they locked. Her grip failed and the ring of metal crashed back on top of her foot as it dangled around her ankle.

A strangled yelp squeezed from her vocal chords as the pain reverberated up her leg. The young woman threw her hands against her chest, bundling the crooked fingers together and pressing gently in an attempt to loosen the clamped muscles. Once movement was slowly reintroduced to her appendages, she rubbed them fiercely against her bare arms as the night wind began to creep into the open cracks in the stone as it whistled past the window.

Weary green eyes turned towards the barred sky visible near the roof of her cell. Pale streams of moonlight struggled through the clouds to grace her with some form of comfort. The beams of tired light bent and stretched the shadows in the small area. A sad smile pulled at the corners of her lips. The moon felt like her only connection to the outside world. She never managed to see the sun—he always had her out during the day. She shivered, that was the only way she managed to count the days here, that was the only way she managed to count the time that passed in this hell. But she was always here for the moon. Sometimes, if she tried hard enough, she could imagine that he was looking at the same moon, that maybe Toby had the same moon as well. It made the torture worth it, even if just a little.

A loud clang sounded and she jumped to her feet, cursing at the pain that shot through her legs at the sudden movement. She knew what was coming, and she would be ready. _God help me,_ she pleaded as the key slid into the lock of her wooden cell-door. Slowly it creaked opened, and she reflexively stepped back from the dark figure that slithered into her presence.

A cold hand cupped her cheek before it slipped into her hair and grabbed it by the roots, arching her head backwards. Its brother snaked around her waist and pulled her harshly into a hard body. A gasp slipped from her lips as firm lips began to devour her exposed skin.

Being someone's prize, someone's conquest wasn't fun. It was painful. It was torment. Each day she felt as if another part of her was being ripped away. Soon, she felt that she wouldn't be any different from the man who was suckling at her neck: full of fear, rage and hate. She whimpered unconsciously as the thought tore at her heart.

Orgath seemed to enjoy it as his lips became harsher.

It was worth it right? Jareth was able to keep his Labyrinth. But, Toby. Poor Toby. _Please forgive me_, she begged both as she was dragged from her cell, chained like a pet.

_But,_ she thought ruefully,_ that's what I've become._

* * *

He still hadn't left his room. It had been over a week and he still clung to some false hope that she might appear, that he would look up from his pacing and she'd be standing right in front of him, that it would all be a misunderstanding, that she would be safe.

The lithe man growled as he turned on his heel and stalked across the room. His fingers curled and loosened at his sides as he spun and traced the same path he had been walking day and night until he collapsed only to drag himself up again and repeat. The door creaked open and he was only partly aware of that Didymus trying to tell him to rest, that he couldn't be useful if he kept wearing himself out.

His response was the night in an oubliette.

He had to think. He had to hope. And he could only do that if he kept moving.

He couldn't allow his mind to settle on what was happening to her. He couldn't bear the pain that those thoughts brought. He couldn't help her if he was wallowing in pity. He would pace until his mind was calm, until he was able to stop this fruitless hope.

With a heart shattering cry, he collapsed to his knees, his limbs shaking violently as sweat beaded and dripped from his brow. His lungs struggled to gather the necessary oxygen as he crawled to his chair. On trembling arms, he pulled himself up on to it and draped his body over it. His mismatched eyes fluttered to the open window as he gazed at the cloud blanketed moon. Gentle rays of pale light crept into his chambers, stretching the shadows.

Shutting his eyes, he took a deep breath and basked in the light that filtered in behind his closed eyelids. The moon soothed him. The sun was harsh, burning his mind and body with torment. The moon was a gentle balm the cooled his wounds and aching mind. Sometimes, he felt that she could see the moon, that there was a connection between them in some way through it.

The door creaked open yet again and he jumped from his chair, every muscle tightened in anger at being disturbed. If the oubliette wasn't enough, he wasn't against the bog. A small goblin shuffled in, his forehead practically scraping the ground beneath him, his bow was so low.

"What is it?" he growled.

Arms outstretched to display tiny claws clutched around folded parchment darkened with age. "Kingy got this," came the shaking response.

A gloved hand snatched the object, his lips pursed in a thin line as he examined the parchment. "Leave," he hissed quietly and the goblin scurried out in obedience.

Once the door shut, he allowed his knees to show their weakness as they buckled and he collapsed back into his chair. With trembling fingers, he broke the claret seal and unfolded it to reveal the slithering black words across the aged surface. His eyes rapidly scanned over what was written, the task increasing with difficulty as the parchment fluttered with the grasp it was held in. As he reached the last line, his fingers fell slack and the offending letter fell to his lap with a rustle.

She would be safe. He couldn't allow for anything to happen to here. Nothing was more important. _Forgive me Sarah,_ he willed her_. Goblin Kingdom, I have failed you as your king._

_So this is what being a pawn feels like_, he thought ruefully as he stood to dress for the inevitable.

* * *

Shadows crawled across the stone. Orange flame burned and flickered, consuming the wax and wicks with a voracious appetite. Sarah was curled tightly in on herself, burying her head in her arms in attempt to forget the horrid throne room the she sat in, in attempt to forget between whose legs she was placed between and the cold metal that proved a faithful back rest.

Long fingers entwined through her hair, and she shuttered at the touch.

"Look at me, precious."

With reluctant obedience, green eyes pulled from their retreat to the mismatched pair that burned down at her from above her. "Don't look so sad," he implored her with a smirk. "Your dear Jareth will be here soon. You'll enjoy that, won't you, precious?"

The young woman's body lurched at his words. She crawled away from his grasp to turn and face him, hoping that she looked fierce despite her reduced state. Her eyes blazed up at him as she demanded, "What do you mean?"

"I have been pleased with my time with you, but I still desire my Labyrinth. You did not truly think I would give it up so easily?"

"But you said—you promised that if I came you would stop. You'd leave the Labyrinth alone," she cried, her pitch creeping into a whine.

"My precious, it's true I said that, and I kept that promise," he stated quietly as he stood from his throne and knelt in front of her. Orgath wrapped a cold, gloved hand around her chin. "Your Goblin King has seen nothing of me nor my shadows since you arrived here. However, I did not vow that I would not offer him a deal in return that would prove yours no longer of consequence."

_Splat._

Recoiling slightly at the fury that was building in his eyes as her spit dribbled down his face, she prepared for the strike as his hand flew back.

But the impact did not come.

Green eyes traced his arm up to the gloved hand that held his arm back and followed it to a familiar lithe body and face. A smile broke across her face in relief. "Jareth," she breathed out.

His eyes, however, never turned to her. They remained locked on their matching pair, steeled in fury. "I believe your letter stated an undamaged Sarah would be returned to me," he stated levelly, as he tossed the arm in his grasp to the side.


	13. Salvation

**Hello, readers! What's this? Another chapter? Yes! I have the story finished on my end so I decided to go with daily updates for the last leg of this fanfic. There are only two more after this! I can't believe it's almost over. I've been working with this 7 months as of yesterday. **

**Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please leave a review with what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Labyrinth'**

* * *

**Salvation**

The dark man swooped to his feet, a laugh on his lips. "This will prove more fun than I had planned." His eyes turned to Sarah and said with a smirk and arched eyebrow, "See? I told you he would arrive shortly."

"Yes. Now release her," Jareth barked, his eyes had still yet to fall on the young woman he would sacrifice himself for.

With a wave of his hand, a dark crystal rested on his fingertips. Tossing it up and down in his hand, he responded, "Certainly."

His grip tightened on it as he turned to the brunette prostrate on the floor and hurled it at her feet.

Sarah felt her lungs constrict as black shards poured into her mouth and nose. Her hands flew to her throat as she began chocking, her chest heaving painfully with the struggle to breathe. Darkness clouded her vision, and she was no longer able to see or feel anything besides it as a roaring filled her ears. After several terrifying moments, the blackness melted away and she lay on the cold stones, her head pounding but otherwise unarmed. She stood up on shaky legs and looked down at her clean and mended clothes, the chain and shackle nowhere in sight.

Her eyes widened as she dropped to her knee and rolled up her pant leg to expose creamy, unblemished skin that had been bruised and bloodied only a moment before. She stood up to see the two figures staring at her, one with relief and the other with sly pride.

"I have kept my word," the dark one stated as he turned to his other. "Now you shall keep yours."

"First," Jareth began as he returned the calculating gaze, "you will allow me to bring Sarah safely back. You stated you would give that much in your letter."

"Did you truly believe that I would allow you to walk away once I had you in my grasp?"

"No. I am ready, but this will be done on my terms," he said calmly before he lunged for Sarah. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his chest. A clear crystal danced on his free hand.

"You know where I'll be waiting," he parted with as he tossed the orb at his feet.

The young woman and the king were encased in a flurry of gentle sparkles that soon died down to reveal an unusually empty throne room. Green eyes scanned the area before she pushed herself away from her savior.

"What the hell was that for?" she accused with burning eyes.

"What does it look like, Sarah? I saved you," he responded, his calm exterior deteriorating as he finally looked at her.

"Don't try the knight in shining armor on a white steed act; it doesn't suit you."

"It is no act! I have your best intentions at heart! I couldn't allow the continuation of the treatment that you foolishly walked into! You don't change," he snapped back.

"My best intentions? The treatment I foolishly walked into? I only did that for you and your Labyrinth!"

"And how was that for my Labyrinth? Or me?"

"If you had swallowed your pride for a second, you would have known when I came to see you in the throne room. He had a negotiation; I accepted it. You and your kingdom were safe! I gave myself for that, and you come and ruin it! You should have ignored whatever he said. He wasn't harming the Labyrinth.

"You're a fool, Jareth. I gave you back what you have been pining after these last nine years, and you come storming in here and crumble all chances for your kingdom going back to how it was before, before I came!" she spat.

She forced down the tears that were burning behind her eyes._ How could he? Why couldn't he just let someone else look after him for once?_

"Foolish girl!" he hissed at her. His mismatched eyes blazed with an intense passion as his fingers dug into the flesh of Sarah's upper arm. The tears finally fell from her eyes, a mixture of adrenaline, pain and a happiness at his caring and closeness. He was so close to her that she could feel the heat emanating from his body on her skin and his shallow breaths disturbing her hair. "Did you honestly think that my kingdom is what I have been pining after? You know nothing. And you call me the fool. I'm not such a fool that I would let you go so willingly without a fight!" His last word was barely a whisper.

Before Sarah could make in sort of sound in answer, Jareth's lips came down onto hers, firm and hard yet tenderly soft. She recoiled in shock at first, but slowly gave into the warmth that poured down her throat into her stomach and charged ever fiber in her being with sizzling electricity. She smiled through his kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck. The young woman never wanted to let go. She was content to stay right here, right where she was, doing what she was doing for the rest of her life.

But it did eventual end and he pulled his lips away. Sarah, on the other hand, refused to let go of him. She kept her arms tightly clasped around his neck and looked up to meet his eyes. This mismatched gaze that her green eyes met was brimming with joy and triumph. The brunette felt her heart flutter at such a look.

The young woman bit her lip and tried to stifle the laugh that was bubbling up, but it was no use; it couldn't be held down. Bubbling up and out of her, mirthfully passing her lips, and once she let it go, there was no chance of stopping it. The laughter kept coming. Jareth raised an eyebrow and began to draw away from her, but the brunette tightened her grip and pulled herself into him. She buried her face in his chest as her body shook with laughter.

Warm breath stirred against Sarah's ear and cheek, causing a new wave of mirth to break through her lips. "Shh, Sarah. Calm yourself. We have no time for that infernal racket at this moment. He will be here soon."

The young woman immediately stopped. She withdrew her arms and wrapped them around his waist. She pushed her face deeper into his chest and listened to his fluttering heartbeat, focusing on the rise and fall of his chest with each deep breath he took.

"No offense but your alter ego's a bastard. A cunning one at that," she stated.

"Does that mean I am not?" he asked, his arms tightening around her

"A bastard? Only sometimes—like when you get too prideful," she answered as she rested her chin on his chest, looking up at him.

"I meant cunning," he responded with a smirk.

Sarah floundered over a response before she shoved him and pulling from his grasp. "Here I'd hoped you humbled a bit while I was away," she retorted.

"I could never. It would remove my natural charm."

She chuckled at his words. "Same Goblin King."

He leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on her nose. "Come," he ordered as he pulled back. "We have an upcoming battle I'd rather not be late for." A gloved hand entwined around hers as he led her out of the throne room.

"Where are we going?"

"To where it all began."

* * *

The two stepped into the room that had been the sight of their last meeting all those years ago. An eerie quiet stretched across the old ruins that floated in the expanse of nothingness.

"The heart of the Goblin Castle. A source of incomprehensible power," Jareth explained as he stepped out from the shadows into the open, Sarah trailing his heels. He stopped in the center of the room, his hands resting lightly on his hips as he planted his feet.

"The place that started it all."

The young woman stepped up behind him and entwined her arms through his and around his waist, burying her face in the folds of his shirt. "I'm sorry," she mumbled into his back. "I never expected this to have happen. If I had known—"

"Sarah," he sighed, "there is no way for you to have known. You are forgiven for your ignorance; it was not purposeful."

"But…" she trailed off as she remembered that scene from nine years back so vividly. "Deep down I didn't want to give you up. If I had given into that, you wouldn't have been torn apart."

He turned in her arms and returned the embrace, lightly resting his chin on top of her head. "Yet you would not have known what you would have accepted. I was a fool for acting blindly, and I hated you for what I couldn't realize was childish ignorance. This was my fault, Sarah, and I apologize that you had to be dragged into it."

A comfortable silence fell on the two and the brunette was reluctant to break it, but break it she did. "What's going to happen?"

"Do you remember what I told you about this room? About the power it holds?"

"It's a room for binding and separating," she recited.

"Yes, and it is time that what was separated became bound into one again."

Sarah pulled back in shock, her eyes wide in surprise. "But—but you could—you could," she struggled out over the lump that was forming her throat.

A gloved hand cradled her chin as gentle eyes implored her. "You once claimed I was a coward for not doing anything, for sitting back and accepting the fate which was to be thrust upon me in hopes of extended the time my kingdom had. It was not until you had been taken from me that I realized the truth in your words. I had only been avoiding the inevitable out of the fear I would lose."

He leaned forward, his cool forehead resting against hers. "The fear I felt when you left was far greater, and I could no longer sit around waiting for things to play out in the game he controlled. I would meet him, on my terms, and I would try. For now, the fear of failure is eclipsed by the fear of allowing something to happen to you when I had the ability to make an effort for your safety."

His lips gently pressed against her eyes, collecting the moisture that was pooling over. Sarah pulled away and touched her own lips to his, clinging on to them desperately until an escaped sob pulled her from him. She brought her hands to her mouth as she struggled against the onslaught of tears.

Long fingers entwined in her hair and pushed a strand behind her ear. "I'm sorry," he whispered hoarsely. "I never intended for you to be dragged into this. I tried. Let it not be said that I didn't try to remove you from this."

"I know, but I wanted to help," she insisted. "Especially after you said it was my fault."

"I hope you understand, Sarah. I was only trying to—"

"Protect me. Get me to leave. Keep me from it," she offered with an arched eyebrow.

"All of the above," he answered, pressing another gentle kiss to her lips.

"You have quite a bit to learn about me then, Goblin King, if you thought that would get rid of me."

A sad smirk tugged at his lips until it melted into an expression of horror as Sarah's skin pulsed with the darkness running through her veins and she let out a tortured scream. His grip tightened around her waist as her body began to flail, each shock of pain twisting and contorting her. Her green eyes stared on, unblinking and glassy. Her lips pulled back into a grimace as another howl wretched itself from her chest.

Fighting back the rising panic, he gently cradled her against his chest as he knelt and laid her on the ground. Her limbs thrashed as her teeth gnashed, clacking from the jarring impact against each other. Her chest heaved in desperation against the rising fear. Gloved hands firmly grasped her own, as the Goblin King looked up into the archway that led to nothingness.

"Come out! If you insist on playing, let's finish this game now!" he yelled.

Orgath stepped out from the darkness, a black silk cape billowing behind him until it settled around his booted feet. "You were foolish," he sneered, "to not think of the possibility that my shadows still resided in her." He tsked. "Such a shame. She was such a beauty. Now I suspect she has little more than ten minutes until they overtake her. Sadness and fear certainly can wear a person to the bone."

A feral growl passed Jareth's snarled lips as he hunched protectively over the young woman. "Release her," he ordered, his voice low and commanding. "You promised her safety."

The dark man conjured an inky crystal and allowed it to lazily dance over his fingers. His eyes stared after it as he said in a bored tone, "I promised that you would receive her undamaged. You have received her. She was undamaged when you received her. As far as I'm concerned, my part of the bargain was fulfilled. Yours, however, is lacking."

The Goblin King felt a gentle squeeze on his hand, something so unnatural against the convulsing body. His eyes flickered down to the brunette, and he leaned closer to her. His name came out on a strangled breath and his nerves steeled. Releasing Sarah's hand, he stood, pulling his shoulders back. He knew what he had to do. And if he didn't manage, he would die trying. Let no one say that the King of the Goblins did not try.


	14. Battle of Wills

**Hello, readers! Second to last chapter here! I hope you enjoy it! One more to go. Please leave a review with what you think.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Labyrinth' **

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**Battle of Wills**

The black crystal fell to the floor. With a silent crash, inky shards scattered across the tan stone ground. The moment the last of them settled, a sharp _pop_ stabbed at the Goblin King's eardrums. His gloved hands shot to cover his ears as he was completely surround by an oozy, black fog that crawled its way into his nose and mouth; it fought its way through his fingers to pour into his ears. The lithe man collapsed to his knees, his chest wrenching violently in attempt to free itself from the suffocating substance.

"Why even try, _Goblin King_?" his voice hissed through the dark mist.

Shoving off the taunt, he struggled for a full breath as he clambered on to shaky legs. He held his breath, shutting his eyes from the blackness as he clamped his hands together in front of him. The king focused on the empty air enclosed in his gloved fingers. Quickly he brought his entwined fingers up to his lips, pressing them firmly against the cool leather. He expelled the last of the fading oxygen in his lungs into his fingers. In a quick motion, he threw his arms to the side, the fresh air expanding across the room and banishing the oozing black.

Taking a grateful breath of clean air, his eyes fluttered to Sarah. Her skin was ashen underneath the inky swirls, and she was sweating profusely. Her chest raised and fell rapidly as her body weakly thrashed. She was fading fast.

His blazing mismatched eyes sought out his other self who still stood by the archway. He met his own eyes matching his gaze icily.

"Oof," the king let out as a racing mass of shadows to the gut winded him.

"She's distracting you, you pathetic creature. True she is beautiful prize, but a weakness? She will be your downfall, Jareth."

"You are wrong," he hissed through clenched as he held his stomach. "She is my strength. This will end NOW!" he roared, pulling himself to his full height.

His eyes locked on their twins, and he cleared his mind. Breathing deeply, he plunged into the depths of himself. He searched for the thin cord that connected them. It took him more time than he would have liked to discover the small strand that tugged in his mind towards his darker self. Taking a firm mental hold of the thin wire, he tugged with all his might, pulling the separated self back into him.

A dark chuckle filled his mind, threatening to distract him. "Are you trying to absorb me? You fool! I am too strong, and you too weak. You are fighting a lost battle," the shadow sneered.

Steeling himself, he dug deeper and gave one final yank. The shadows poured into him, clouding out his mind, his heart, everything. Cold stone pressed against his face as he struggled to breathe, struggled to find himself.

He felt his control slipping from him.

He felt the fear and hate penetrating and taking weed in his heart.

He felt a numbness enter his limbs.

He could no longer move.

He could barely breathe, barely think.

He wasn't going numb.

The Goblin King was being pulled from consciousness, uprooted from his body and packaged to be stored in the deep recesses of a mind that was no longer his.

He hadn't been strong enough.

He had been too exhausted.

Too weak.

Not enough.

Not enough for her.

Never.

Everything he could give was never enough.

He had failed her.

He had tried and he had failed.

She would never smile again.

_Her lips stretched wide across her face, flashing the white pearls underneath. Her green eyes flashed with amusement as a slight crinkle wrinkled the bridge of her nose._

She would never laugh again.

_Creamy lids shaded emeralds as her brows pulled together. A pale hand flew to her mouth to cover the wide opening that spread even wider as she struggled for breath over her giggles. Her chest shook as her body lost control to the musical chimes. _

She would never be again.

_Stray strands of warm brown hair fell from the tie that held the mass of it back. They gently brushed against her flushed cheek, and he wished that he was able to replace their touch, to feel the soft, warm flesh under his fingers. Her green eyes glittered with defiance as she stubbornly stood for her own opinions. Her brow and lips set in firm lines of determination. The only woman who dared to defy him, and he only wanted her more for it. _

She would die.

The wonderful spark would be snuffed out.

He couldn't.

He couldn't allow that to happen.

Gathering up the remnants of his tattered self, he pushed out and fought for control and dominance. This was _his_ body. This was _his _kingdom._ And she would not die_.

The body of the Goblin King let out a heart shattering screech as the two entities demanded their right of control and existence.

Snarling.

Fangs bared.

Fingers stiffened to claws.

Hissing.

Spitting.

Eyes rolled back into the skull as the body lay stiff on the floor.

A black puddle spread from the outstretched body as shadows dripped from its still frame.

With a last effort, Jareth submerged Orgath and locked him away in a far corner, cutting himself off from the rage and fear. He drew in the black mass beneath him and tossed into the chamber with his darker self, hidden away so that they could torment no one else.

A shuttering breath disturbed slightly parted lips and a quivering chest. Coughing violently, the Goblin King groaned as he sat up, cradling his head in his hands. He rubbed the heels of his hands against his eyes to clear the blurred visions before clambering to trembling legs.

"Sarah," he breathed out as he remembered the young woman who allowed him such a victory.

His mismatched eyes blazed as they turned to her still form, arched at a disturbing angle across the stones. "Oh God," he muttered as he lurched towards her, tumbling onto the ground near her.

Her green eyes were nothing more than glass orbs staring into the beyond, her face etched with the horror at what last greeted her sight. Her ashen skin was stained with stilled black shadows that tattooed the surface in elegant patterns. Pale lips fluttered slightly at the barest trace of breath that rustled through her lungs.

With water rimmed eyes, the King of the Goblins gathered the brunette into his arms and pulled her onto his lap. He rested her head against his chest as he held it close with a gloved hand. His grip tightened around her shoulders as he rested his chin on top of her head, his mouth gaping open and shut like a fish starved for oxygen. As trails of burning liquid traced paths down his cheeks, he buried his face in the crook of her neck. He took a deep breath, enjoying her lingering scent.

He heard a forced breath expelled from her lungs shaped to fit the curves of his name. His body jolted away from her to spy the faintest flutter of eyelids over glazed orbs. His heart shattered as he gazed down at her pathetic form, her life fading before him to the fear where she would be stuck in a limbo: her body as good as dead, but her mind living on in endless torment from the shadows. He couldn't let her have this fate. He wouldn't be here if not for her.

The Goblin King closed his eyes and poked a hole into the boxed portion of his mind where the darkness was stored away. Keeping a firm grip on maintaining the size of the hole, he bent forward and lightly pressed his lips against hers. Her mouth opened at his touch, and he drew in the shadows, the oily mass pouring into his mouth and down his throat.

Her body arched against his as her fingers found his shoulders and dug her nails dug into the tender flesh there. Tremors shook her body as the darkness clawed into her, fighting to stay in the warm body it had hardened into its home.

When her body finally stilled and her hands fell away from his shoulders and the last of the darkness puddled into his stomach, he slackened his grip and allowed her limp form to fall onto his lap. Tightening his clamped eyes, he took a deep breath and pulled the darkness from his stomach and into the small hole he had allowed to open. Once the last of the reluctant mass had slithered through it, he cemented it shut with no intention of tearing the walls down any time soon.

The Goblin King's shoulders slumped, and his chest heaved with exertion. His eyes opened and he lifted a tentative hand to the once again creamy face that rested on his lap. His long fingers wrapped around the warm flesh as his thumb caressed small circles on her flushed cheek. Her pink lips parted slightly as she sighed softly. Lids fluttered back, dark eyelashes brushing light kisses against her skin. Bright green eyes smiled up at him, and he felt his smirk return.

"Sarah," he sighed, "what shall I ever do with you? I believed you were to help, and yet as the battle came you decided to lay here and content yourself with unaiding me."

A fire flashed behind her eyes causing them to sparkle brilliantly. He felt his smirk widening. How he loved that fire.

"Are you really that—" she began to retort as she sat up, but Jareth couldn't be held back any longer.

His arms ensnared her waist, and he pulled her to him. His lips crashed down on hers as he pressed her body closer to his. Her hands gripped his shoulders as she struggled to pull back. She opened her mouth to protest, but he took full advantage of it. He smiled as he felt her body slacken into him before her muscles tightened as she arched closer into him. Her hands traced their way up to his neck and took a firm hold there. He grazed her bottom lip with his teeth and felt his body thrill as she moaned and pressed closer to him than he thought humanly possible.

Deeping the kiss, he tightened his grip on her with one arm as he allowed the other to snake upwards and cup her head. He straightened up on his knees and pulled her up with him, her legs entwined around his. Reluctantly, he let go of her waist as he leaned forward and propped himself up on his arm as he slowly lowered her to the ground. Once she lay stretched out on the ground with him kneeling over her, his arm returned around her waist and as he lowered himself to join her. Sarah, however, was too impatient and pulled herself up to him, arching her body into his. He hesitated before lowering himself further to the ground, his body lurching at the feel of her soft form cushioning him.

After several moments, the pair pulled away, their heavy pants warming the humid air between them

"Jareth!" Sarah exclaimed as she pulled back, her chest still heaving. The young woman's eyes were eyed with shock.

"What?" he asked, worry creeping into his heart.

"Your hair," she whined. Her fingers entwined in his hair, and he moaned slightly. She pulled her hand closer to her face, a dark strand of hair snared in her fingers. "You've got a streak."

He removed a gloved hand from her to reclaim his hair from her grasp. He twirled it in his fingers before flinging it over his shoulder. "A small price to pay. Besides," he smirked, "I like it: a bit of darkness."

The brunette's body shook underneath him as she laughed. Her fingers returned to his hair, and she yanked his face closer until it hovered just over hers. "Shut up and kiss, you prideful bastard," she ordered.

Jareth, though King of the Goblins, could not refuse the order of this young woman.


	15. Home at Last

**Hello, readers! The last chapter is here for you now! This story has finally come to an end after seven months. I hope you have enjoyed the journey as I have-granted, it was a bit stressful at several occasions. A huge thanks to all my followers, favorites and reviewers. I know I most likely never replied, but that doesn't mean I didn't get a smile on my face when I got the email with notifications! So once again, a huge thank you! Do you think we can reach 50 reviews for the end?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Labyrinth'**

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**Home at Last**

Lips gently pulled apart as they desperately clung to each other until the last possible moment. Jareth let out a content sigh as he nuzzled his face in Sarah's neck before turning and lying next to her, nestling her head on his shoulder.

"Why'd you stop?" the young woman whined as she buried her face into his chest.

His chest shook with laughter, her head mimicking its movements in a wonderfully enjoyable way. Gloved fingers entwined themselves in her hair that now fanned out over hers shoulders and the stones beneath her.

"You must be tired," he said with a smirk.

"I'm just getting started," she protested.

He chuckled again, shaking her. He pressed his lips lovingly to the top of her head amongst the brown strands of hair. "I have no doubt," he whispered. "But you have been through much, and you must rest."

A question tugged at the back of her mind. "Jareth?" she asked.

"Hmmm?" he rumbled into her hair.

"Why did I forget everything? All of this? You?"

The king pulled back and planted a soft kiss against her lips before resting his head back on the stone, his free arm pillowing it. "I told you earlier that I had tried to remove you from this. One of the reasons my powers were unable to restore as quickly as Orgath's is because once I realized what had been loosed, I used what little I could spare to do what I thought would keep you safe. I locked away your memories in hopes that you would be unable to find your way back here, so that he was unable to use your friends as an outlet to you. I secluded you in hopes of preventing this darkness pulling you in.

"I was bedridden for nearly a week afterwards, and I'm afraid it was all for naught. I truly am sorry that I had to repress your memories," he finished softly.

Sarah nodded understandingly. "I don't like the idea of you doing that, but I see why you did. You're not going to do it again this time, are you?"

He turned to face her, his mismatched eyes incredibly gentle. "No. I could not do it again, precious."

Her body flinched at the endearment as his eyebrows scrunched in worry. "Please don't call me that," she begged. "That's what he…"

"It's alright, Sarah. I won't call you that again. Just try to forget it."

She smirked. "I thought you said—"

Her rebuff was cut short by his lips on hers. Despite how insanely annoying it was to be prevented from finishing a sentence, she thoroughly enjoyed the feel of his lips against hers.

The young woman pulled her lips away from his to lay on her side as she stared at him. "I'm sorry," she found herself saying. "I get now what I must have put you through all those years ago: the hurt, the anger, the sadness, the fear. I get how those things can ruin a relationship. Before I came here, Toby and I got in an argument. He was mad at me for growing up, and I was mad at him for not. It wasn't our first spat about the topic. I get that he's just a kid and should enjoy this stage of wonder now. But most importantly, I see that when you let those things control you, when that's what you allow yourself to act on around a person, soon that's all you'll feel towards that person. I don't want that between me and Toby.

"I understand," she whispered as she laid her head back on his firm chest. "I understand what you went through now because of me, and I'm so sorry. And maybe most importantly, I've learned about my relationship with Toby."

The brunette felt a small laugh passed her lips. "And maybe silliest of all, I understand all those odd dreams I used to have."

Sarah looked up into his eyes with a smile on her lips, but it quickly faded at the panic that was there. "What?" she demanded. "What's wrong?"

He sighed and pulled away to sit up. "That's what you wished for."

Sarah clambered to her knees and knelt at his side. His leather clad hands wrapped around her shoulders as he earnestly looked into her eyes. "You don't need to be here anymore. Farewell, Sarah. You friends will always be here for you. I will always be here, should you need me," he ended softly.

Jareth leaned forward and pressed a feather soft kiss to her forehead. She closed her eyes in enjoyment as confusion fluttered in her heart.

A dull throb permeated her head as she heard a distant voice calling for her.

"Sarah? Sarah? Sarah, wake up! Sarah!"

The young woman slowly came to as she opened her eyes to see those of Toby's staring down at her. A smile broke across his young face as he jumped on her and squeezed his small arms around her neck. With a shuttering breath she sat up and wrapped her arms around his thin body, pressing him tightly into her.

"Oh God, Toby," she sobbed as her eyes blurred the hallway in front of her.

He began to pull away, but she only readjusted her hold and kept him firmly planted against her.

"Are you okay, Sarah?" he asked earnestly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she responded through a strangled laugh.

Finally allowing herself to loosen her grip on him, she released him to arm's length. She reached out a hand and pushed back a clump of tear dampened blond hair from his forehead. "You aren't still mad at me?" she questioned.

"No," he answered, his face screwed up in puzzlement.

She smiled. "Good. I'm not upset with you anymore either."

"Okay," he drawled out.

"You see Toby, we're siblings. We're just like one person," she explained, extending her pinky which he naturally latched onto with his own. "And when we argue it just tears us apart. I don't want to be torn apart from you, alright?"

He nodded understandingly, and she couldn't help but pull him in for another hug.

"Sarah, you're squishing me," came his muffled voice.

She laughed and let him go. Dashing away her tears, the brunette stood up and held out her hand to the young boy. "How about some hot cocoa?"

With a wide smile, he accepted her offered hand and pulled her into the kitchen. He sat down at the old wooden table and watched as she pulled out two mugs and filled them with milk. Setting them in the microwave, she turned the timer to two minutes and walked away to grab the packets of mix after making sure they had marshmallows in them. With one in each hand, the brunette shook them, forcing the powder and dried marshmallows to the bottom of the small bag. As she bustled around the kitchen a flurry of white feathers outside the window over the table caught her attention. As she spied the culprit, a smile tugged at her lips.

"Look at that," Toby exclaimed after he followed her gaze, his bright eyes sparkling as he pointed a finger at the bird. "Don't see too many owls here."

"Yeah. This one's special."

"How?" he asked curiously.

"Well," she explained as she pulled the two steaming mugs of milk from the microwave, "he's very special to me. He has taught me things that I never imagined I'd have to learn."

She ripped open the packets and poured one into each mug. Sarah pulled out a spoon from the nearby drawer on her way to the garbage can. She made her way back to the mugs and began to stir each one until the white milk turned a rich, chocolate brown and the small marshmallows floated temporality at the top until they melt.

"Like?" Toby prompted.

The young woman side as she stuck the spoon in her mouth before tossing it into the sink. She made her way to the pantry and pulled out a bag of mini marshmallows. She undid the clip and pulled out a handful of the small white clouds before refastening the clip. She headed back to the mugs and distributed them equaling. Wiping her hands off on her jeans, she grabbed one in each hand with a sigh and made her way to the table. She set a steaming mug in front of Toby.

"Careful. It's still real hot," she warned as she sat down across from he, her fingers wrapped around her own mug as she gazed over the boy's shoulder to the owl sitting outside.

"He taught me how to grow up, how to see the wonder in small things and how things aren't as they always appear to be. He taught me that everyone needs help at some time and everyone can be sad. He also taught me that if you allow that sadness and pain and fear to control you, you'll end up in a place you never wanted to be in."

"Owls have been known as symbols of wisdom," her brother responded as he blew on the hot liquid creating ripples.

The brunette felt a smile tug at the corner of her lips. "He is very wise, but I wouldn't dare say it to his face. He's already too prideful for his own good. But, I love him despite that."

"You love an owl?" Toby asked before he took a tentative sip.

"Yes," his sister responded, her eyes finally meeting his. "But he is so much more than an owl. He is a king: the King of the Goblins. He lives in a castle beyond the Goblin City in the middle of a large Labyrinth he created to protect the goblin's he calls his subjects. But, there are more than goblins that inhabit the Labyrinth. There is this brave fox called Sir Didymus who rides his noble steed: a sheep dog named Ambrosious. He guards the bridge in the Bog of Eternal Stench. There is a weary dwarf who may seem gruff at first but is caring deep down named Hoggle who rules over the Bog. There is a large creature with curved horns, giant tusks and shaggy orange-red fur who appears scarier than he really is named Ludo who is friends with the rocks of the Labyrinth. There are the creatures called Fierys that…" she continued to tell to an enraptured Toby, hot cocoa forgotten

Once she finished her story, her eyes flickered out the window to spy a very familiar lithe form draped casually over the branches of the tree. Mismatched eyes sparkled with mischievousness in the darkness as a smirk danced across his lips. His blond mane plastered to his pale skin from the drizzle that the thunderstorm had been reduced to.

She just might have to put Toby to bed early tonight. As Toby eyes focused on the inside of his mug to the remembered cooled beverage as he lifted it to his lips, she mouth "stalker" to the king outside.

The widening of his smirk and flash of teeth informed her that he saw. She shivered as she spied his tongue flicking out over his teeth before his lips closed over them.

Yes. Toby was going to bed—as soon as he finished his cocoa.

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**Once again, thanks for reading and sticking through this with me. I will miss you guys! If you haven't already checked out my other stories, please do so! **

**Also, to any fellow Americans reading this, Happy 4th of July!**

**Let me know what you think of the end!**

**~Alexandria Keating**


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